The first batch of contestants from the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Army arrived in Russia for the International Army Games 2020, according to the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation.

The Chinese troops and equipment included advanced Type 96 main battle tanks have arrived at Zabaikalsk unloading station.

They started the journey from Manzhouli, north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region for the competitions in Russia, and will be followed by more batches of contestants from the PLA Army and Air Force.

The International Army Games 2020 will be held in multiple countries including Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Sri Lanka from Aug. 23 to Sept. 5.

This year’s Army Games will be hosted by five states instead of the 11 initially planned due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, the head of the Russian Armed Forces’ main combat training department, Col. Gen. Ivan Buvaltsev, said.