China's official military media say a new, land-based, mid-range surface-to-air missile system is operational and has been delivered to an air defense unit in the northeastern city of Shenyang.

The People's Liberation Army Daily said that in a recent drill, the new SAM system successfully launched two HQ-16 missiles that hit their aerial targets.

The army said that in addition to engaging aerial targets at high altitude, the HQ-16 is also able to intercept very low-flying targets at a distance of up to about 40 kilometers.

China has also displayed its unmanned Z-5 helicopter to the public for the first time. The military told the official Beijing Daily newspaper that the aircraft, which was shown at an aviation expo, can be used in military operations and in civilian tasks, such as earthquake relief and land monitoring.

The paper said China also displayed the WJ-600 drone, which is an unmanned high-speed plane that can carry two missiles and use stealth technology to avoid radar.