However, the rapid development of the new generation main battle tanks (MBTs) in the early 1960s posed new threats to the PLA, which was later proven in the 1969 Sino-Soviet border conflict.
haʊˈɛvɚ, ðə ɹˈæpɪd dɪvˈɛləpmənt ʌvðə nˈuː dʒˌɛnɚɹˈeɪʃən mˈeɪn bˈæɾəl tˈæŋks ˌɛmbˌiːtˌiːˈɛs ɪnðɪ ˈɜːli nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti z pˈoʊzd nˈuː θɹˈɛts tə ðə pˌiːˌɛlˈeɪ, wˌɪtʃ wʌz lˈeɪɾɚ pɹˈuːvən ɪnðə nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti nˈaɪn sˈiːnoʊsˈoʊviət bˈoːɹdɚ kˈɑːnflɪkt.