BEIJING -- Training in "realistic conditions" taken by thousands of Chinese troops before a massive parade Sunday is "not related to the country's neighborhood situation," a military spokesman said.

Ren Guoqiang, spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense, told a press conference that the training was arranged in accordance with the armed forces' annual training plan.

He did not elaborate on what was meant by "neighborhood situation."

China held its first-ever Army Day parade, at Zhurihe military training base in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region to commemorate the 90th birthday of the People's Liberation Army (PLA).

Ren said the 12,000 troops participating in the parade were fresh from military training so that they could show their battle spirit.

Over 600 pieces of armaments and 100 aircraft were displayed, nearly half of which were paraded for the first time, according to Ren.

He said the parade was a breakaway from the formalities of ceremonial parades. No military bands, no public attendance, no grooming and even no goose-stepping march.

"(Parade) elements irrelevant to real battles were reduced to a minimum," Ren said.