By Shuai Shaopeng and Li Jianwen

WUHAN, Aug. 4 -- A team of 32 Chinese paratroopers will set off for Russia to take part in the Airborne Platoon contest of International Army Games 2020 on August 5, with a departure ceremony held in Hubei province on Monday. This is the sixth time that Chinese paratroopers have presence in the Airborne Platoon competition. It is reported that the average age of the 32 participants is less than 22 years old, the youngest Chinese airborne team so far.

The Airborne Platoon contest is participated by the vehicle-mounted teams as the main body and the teams without vehicles, with the competition results calculated separately. The contest includes different disciplines in four stages, which are the platoon parachuting, assembling, battle march in the first stage; individual race on combat vehicles, biathlon within platoons in the second stage; vehicles race with firing and land navigation within squads in the third stage; and, various kinds of relay race in the fourth stage.

Zhao Dongsheng, captain of the Chinese airborne team, said: "Going abroad to compete against airborne troops from various countries can test our skills and tactics. We can learn from each other in the game, and also, boost military exchanges, cooperation and friendship."

It is learnt that Chinese side's heavy equipment cannot go abroad due to the COVID-19, the Chinese participants this year will use the Russian combat vehicles to compete. So, the Chinese airborne troops have made active preparation by simulating the Russian driving conditions and the driving skills of Russian vehicles.