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China is celebrating the 85th anniversary of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) amidst rising tensions in the South China Sea.
It has the world's largest army with a head count of three million and there are growing signs China is prepared to use its military might to defend its regional interests.
In a display of swagger we were invited to watch army attack helicopters showing off their acrobatic skills.
The West fears the strength of China's army, though China says its technology is a generation behind the best of some other countries.
But there is no doubt China has stepped up its military rhetoric.
It has recently announced the establishment of a garrison command centre to run its territorial interests across thousands of miles of the South China Sea.
At stake are massive mineral and fish reserves worth fighting for - plus, crucially, regional interests.
And the front men of the PLA are making it clear that these maritime interests are non-negotiable.
General Geng Yansheng said: "China has indisputable sovereignty over the islands in the South China Sea and their adjacent waters. It is opposed to military intervention in this region."
China is in dispute with a number of south east Asian countries including Vietnam, Malaysia the Philippines and Brunei over claims in the South China Sea.
A recent summit of south east Asian nations failed to find any kind of agreement with China over how to resolve the crisis.
There have been protests in Vietnam after China allegedly sabotaged two Vietnamese exploration operations - and the sabre rattling has led to a worrying military build-up.
While the West has been busy fighting wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, China has been busy adapting its massive army.
The PLA will get a new commander when China has its once a decade leadership change in the autumn.
After its economic boom it is China's military rise which America fears next.
It has the world's largest army with a head count of three million and there are growing signs China is prepared to use its military might to defend its regional interests.
In a display of swagger we were invited to watch army attack helicopters showing off their acrobatic skills.
The West fears the strength of China's army, though China says its technology is a generation behind the best of some other countries.
But there is no doubt China has stepped up its military rhetoric.
It has recently announced the establishment of a garrison command centre to run its territorial interests across thousands of miles of the South China Sea.
At stake are massive mineral and fish reserves worth fighting for - plus, crucially, regional interests.
And the front men of the PLA are making it clear that these maritime interests are non-negotiable.
General Geng Yansheng said: "China has indisputable sovereignty over the islands in the South China Sea and their adjacent waters. It is opposed to military intervention in this region."
China is in dispute with a number of south east Asian countries including Vietnam, Malaysia the Philippines and Brunei over claims in the South China Sea.
A recent summit of south east Asian nations failed to find any kind of agreement with China over how to resolve the crisis.
There have been protests in Vietnam after China allegedly sabotaged two Vietnamese exploration operations - and the sabre rattling has led to a worrying military build-up.
While the West has been busy fighting wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, China has been busy adapting its massive army.
The PLA will get a new commander when China has its once a decade leadership change in the autumn.
After its economic boom it is China's military rise which America fears next.
