China's PLA aerobatic team to perform in Thailand for 50th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties

TIANJIN, March 2 (Xinhua) -- The Bayi Aerobatic Team of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force departed for Thailand on Sunday to participate in the celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of the establishment of China-Thailand diplomatic relations.

The team's overseas mission, featuring an airshow of seven J-10 aircraft, highlights its return to Thailand after a decade and signifies the profound friendship between the air forces of both countries.

With mid-air refueling support from the YU-20, China's domestically developed large aerial tanker, the performance aircraft will fly non-stop to Bangkok, covering a distance of over 3,600 kilometers, said Li Bin, leader of the aerobatic team.

"To deliver a flawless performance, we have conducted on-site assessments of the Thai airfield, tailored our flight plan to the environment and carried out targeted training," members of the team noted.

This mission is the 12th overseas flight demonstration by the aerobatic team. Established over 60 years ago, the team has performed more than 700 times for over 700 delegations across more than 170 countries and regions.