▁maximum ▁road ▁speed ▁as ▁the ▁B MP - 1 . ▁The ▁W Z ▁ 5 0 1 ▁was ▁originally ▁intended ▁for ▁the ▁export ▁market , ▁but ▁the ▁People ' s ▁Liber ation ▁Army ▁( P LA ), ▁which ▁only ▁used ▁A PC s , ▁was ▁des perate ▁for ▁a ▁dedicated ▁IF V . ▁The ▁P LA ▁adopted ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁W Z ▁ 5 0 1 s ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 2 , ▁giving ▁the ▁W Z ▁ 5 0 1 ▁the ▁design ation ▁' Type ▁ 8 6 ', ▁even ▁though ▁the ▁vehicle , ▁like ▁the ▁original ▁B MP - 1 , ▁was ▁already ▁ob sole te . ▁ ▁In ▁spite ▁of ▁its ▁characteristic ▁draw back s , ▁( weak ▁arm our , ▁low ▁efficiency ▁of ▁the ▁ 7 3   mm ▁gun ), ▁the ▁Chinese ▁developed ▁the ▁Type ▁ 8 6 ▁in ▁the ▁mid - 1 9 9 0 s . ▁A ▁modern ized ▁variant , ▁designated ▁the ▁Type ▁ 8 6 A ▁( W Z ▁ 5 0 1 B ), ▁was ▁fitted ▁with ▁a ▁ 4 0 0   hp ▁engine , ▁a ▁modern ▁radio ▁and ▁ 2 nd ▁generation ▁inf ra red ▁vision ▁devices . ▁Type ▁ 8 6 A ▁IF V s ▁will ▁remain ▁in ▁service ▁with ▁the ▁P LA ▁for ▁the ▁for ese e able ▁future . ▁The ▁P LA ▁maintain s ▁around ▁ 1 , 0 0 0 ▁of ▁those ▁IF V s , ▁( the ▁earlier ▁W Z ▁ 5 0 1 s