Chinese army launches massive drills in training bases

SHENYANG - Two separate military drills were launched Tuesday and Thursday in different training bases in north China.

The drills will both feature long-distance delivery of troops and experiments on new combat models for the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) army.

They will also highlight the use of new combat forces and joint operations, said Zhao Yu, deputy commander of the 80th Army Group, which is participating in one of the drills.

The PLA army will hold nine special large-scale drills in different training bases during 2017, according to its annual training plan.

A major structural reform of the army took place earlier this year, with 18 army groups reorganized into 13.