In an exercise code-named Stride-2009, People's Liberation Army troops, from four military commands crossed the Yellow River at a ferry crossing in northwest Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.

More than 700 military vehicles advanced across the Yellow River over a 250-meter long pontoon bridge, built by the Lanzhou division's, engineering regiment, within 30 minutes.

Stride-2009 is the PLA's largest-ever tactical military exercise, involving about 50,000 troops, and aims to test its long-distance mobility.