China shows off newest attack helicopters, tanks at multinational live-firing exercises

BEIJING – China is showing off the growing sophistication of its defense industries by featuring its newest attack helicopters and main battle tanks at a multinational live-firing military exercise in the country's north.

State media said the new hardware performed to expectations in Friday's "Peace Mission-2014" drill featuring more than 7,000 personnel from China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.

The exercise is the culmination of a week of joint training under the auspices of a regional grouping known as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

The website of the Communist Party's People's Daily newspaper said the latest version of the Type 99 main battle tank and the Z-10 and Z-19 attack helicopters were taking part for the first time in multinational exercises, in which actual ammunition was being used.