China Shows Press New Elite Choppers

The Chinese military allowed foreign media an unusual peek into its military capabilities at Beijing on Tuesday. Reporters viewed an elite unit that showcased a range of maneuvers and tactics performed by Chinese choppers. The aircraft included Mi-17 transports and gunships and the Z-9, China’s first armed reconnaissance helicopter.

China’s military helicopter technology also made headlines last month when an American company said that it had sold high-tech software to the Chinese military. That software has allowed the People’s Liberation Army to build its first modern attack helicopter, the Z-10.

The pla rarely opens its military bases to foreigners, and commanders emphasized the military’s peacetime goals. Spokesmen refused to answer questions about Beijing’s many territorial disputes, including the South China Sea. Rising military spending and ongoing tensions between China and its much smaller neighbors have fueled fears that China intends to back its imperialist ambitions with lethal force.

Watch for the People’s Liberation Army to continue to grow and to become more and more lethal. China’s ambitions—and its military preparation—will intensify as it responds to America’s decline and Europe’s unification. For more on this subject, read our booklet Russia and China in Prophecy.