Li Xiang, commander of an army aviation brigade with the PLA Xinjiang Military Command, gives a thumbs-up gesture prior to a recent round-the-clock flight training mission in desert area of northwest China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. The training focused on such subjects as aerial defense penetration, aerial reconnaissance, air-to-surface assault, aiming to beef up pilots’ tactical capabilities. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Wu Shike)