BEIJING, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- The special operations forces of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) made their first public appearance Thursday in the National Day military parade on Tian'anmen Square.
The soldiers, in brown camouflage uniforms, were holding silenced submachine guns.
The phalanx was from the special operations brigade of the Beijing Military Area Command, which shoulders responsibility of anti-terrorism and handling other emergencies.
The PLA special operations forces, established in the early 1990s, have evolved from a traditional reconnaissance unit. They are equipped with silenced rifles and bayonets, as well as high-tech facilities such as unmanned aircraft, global positioning and battlefield information processing systems.
Before the special forces marched cadets from the Shijiazhuang Mechanized Infantry Academy and soldiers from the "Red Army's First Division."
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China's army phalanxes march through Tian'anmen Square
BEIJING, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- The special operations forces of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) made their first public appearance Thursday in the National Day parade at Tian'anmen Square.
The soldiers were holding silenced submachine guns. Full story
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