By Niu Hui and Yang Zaixin

HARBIN, Apr. 22 -- Chinese participants in the “Sayan Range March” Snowfield Combat and March Competition of the International Army Games (IAG) 2021 returned home by plane of the PLA Air Force on April 21. They were warmly welcomed by the representatives from the PLA 78th Group Army at the airport.

The Chinese team came back with fruitful results. During the competition held on April 15 and 16 in Russia, they topped five events out of ten individual competitions and ranked the second place in the overall evaluation.

To prepare for this event, the PLA 78th Group Army has selected dozens of service members for intensive training in early this year. Each of them has been required to march over 50km and ski on thick snowfields on a daily basis, bearing an average weight of 35kg. Such tough training had effectively honed their combat capability of maneuvering in deep snow on alpine regions. After multiple rounds of selection, seven participants (including one reserve) got the honor to participate the competition on behalf of China.

It is learnt that the PLA 78th Group Army plans to organize discussion and exchanges to further summarize the experience and lessons of the competition, which will be of referential value to improving the troops’ actual combat training in winter.