The 204th Heavy Armored Combined-Arms Brigade, part of the 78th Group Army under the Northern Command of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), recently conducted a comprehensive military exercise. Chinese media reports highlighted the use of cage armor/ cope cages and winter camouflage on the tanks, which participated in live-fire drills. The infantry units engaged in coordinated assault operations during the exercise.

Ma Xiaowei, Huang Huanxing, and Liang Xi from the 78th Group Army were the names mentioned in the media coverage. The exercise took place on particularly slippery terrain, where crews utilized metal pins on the tank tracks to prevent slippage, ensuring mobility and operational effectiveness.

The video footage also showed tanks maneuvering in close proximity, a practice deemed unsuitable for actual combat situations where such formations could be vulnerable to mass destruction. However, this close-range maneuvering is currently adjusted for peacetime training scenarios, reflecting that China is not presently engaged in active warfare.