BEIJING, July 30 -- The Chinese PLA Army and Air Force will send troops to Russia to participate in the International Army Games (IAG) 2020 held from August 23 to September 5, Senior Colonel Ren Guoqiang, spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense said on Thursday.

The PLA Army's troops will participate in five competitions, namely the "Tank Biathlon", "Safe Environment", "Masters of Armored Vehicles", "Army Scout Masters", and "Open Water" competitions, Ren introduced, adding that PLA Air Force will take part in the "Airborne Platoon" competition.

"At such a critical moment in fighting COVID-19, the Chinese military's participation in Russia's IAG aims to further strengthen the strategic cooperation between the Chinese and Russian militaries and deepen their practical cooperation in military training," Ren stressed.

The spokesperson pointed out that the participation of China will also facilitate its friendly exchanges and mutual learning with other participating militaries and serve as a way to continue improve the Chinese military’s own training level and combat readiness.