By Yang Jie and Li Youtao

BEIJING, Jan.25 -- The troops of the PLA Navy's Nansha Garrison have begun to try on the new tropical combat uniforms for island-and-reef environment at the start of 2021.

"The new combat clothing, being light, breathable, quick-drying and comfortable, is more suitable for the environment around the Nansha Islands and reefs," said Li Zhenshuang, a service member of the garrison force guarding the Yongshu reef, after finishing his morning training on January 14, 2021.

This is another batch of new-type combat uniforms tried on by troops stationed on Nansha Islands following the provision of the tropical combat boots at the end of 2020. It is reported that the new suits mainly includes tropical camouflage combat uniforms and underwear for island-and-reef environment

China's Nansha Islands are located on the edge of the equator. The natural environment features high humidity, temperature and radiation all year round. It's learned that the tropical camouflage combat uniforms for troops stationed on the tropical islands and reefs have been tailored with optimal designs for armpits and pockets based on the new-type general combat uniforms. Besides, the camouflage uniforms adopt special blended fabrics, characterized by moisture absorption and quick-drying, bacteriostasis and antibiosis, as well as being comfortable and breathable, wear-resistant, tear-resistant, and ultraviolet-resistant, to meet the multiple needs in combat and training under the scorching sun on the islands.

“The new underwear is close-fitting, lightweight, moisture absorption and quick-drying, as well as comfortable and breathable," said Zhan Jiansong, a service member of the PLA Nansha Garrison.

According to Zhou Jiang, a quartermaster assigned to a naval troop unit under the PLA Southern Theater Command，the trying-on of combat uniforms for tropical island-and-reef environment will be continued in a bid to improve the protective performance and comfortability of the new-type combat uniforms .