Type 88 ( tank ) The Type 88 is a series of medium second - generation main battle tank s ( MBTs ) from China . Based on the Type 79 design , the Type 88 entered service with the People ' s Liberation Army ( PLA ) in the 1980s . As of 2003 , an estimated 500 Type 88 MBTs are currently in service with the PLA . The tank was followed by the Type 96 MBT . History . After the Sino - Soviet split in 1960s , relations between China and the Soviet Union gradually worsened , leading to border clashes in 1969 . By 1970s , over 1 . 5 million troops from both sides were stationed along the Sino - Soviet border . At the time the best Chinese tanks were copies of Soviet T - 54 / 55 MBT ' s , which were hopelessly out - matched by new Soviet designs like the T - 62 , T - 64 , and T - 72 . The People ' s Liberation Army requested new tanks that could match the Soviets , which led to the development of Type 69 by 617 Factory ( now Inner - Mongolia First Machinery Group Company Ltd ) , incorporating some technologies from a captured Soviet T - 62 tank . However the T - 69 failed to satisfy PLA requirements , and was more of an export success ( over 2 , 000 sold ) than domestic use . As a result , new tank development was commenced and a new family of tanks that included many sub - families was the result . Variants . Type 85 . It is unclear if the different factories were in competition , or jointly developing the new second generation tank . What is known is that China ' s North Industries Group Corporation ( Norinco ) , most likely in association with 201 Institute ( now China North Vehicle Research Institute ) , unveiled their own version , the T - 85 MBT in 1988 . The PLA did not initially accept the T - 85 MBT , and it was further developed for export to Pakistan ( Type 85 - IIAP and Type 85 - III . ) This was drastically changed later on when China obtained Russian T - 72 samples in late 1980s ( reportedly from Iran with captured Iraqi samples . ) South Africa had discovered along with the Chinese that not only could the western origin 105 mm guns of Type 80 defeat the armor of a T - 72 tank but that the main gun of T - 72 could also easily defeat the armor of not only the Type 80 but all armor of Chinese tanks as well . Improvement of the current tanks in PLA inventory was needed and this was later further illustrated during the 1991 Gulf War , when the PLA observed that their current ( 1991 - era ) tanks were vastly inferior to Western MBTs . Priorities were given to develop a third - generation tank , and as well as improving the existing second - generation design . As a result , Type 85 is a direct development of Type 80 , and over 600 are in Chinese service , while an additional 300 + are in Pakistani service . Also served as a prototype for the " Type 88C " . Type 88 . In the late 1970s , China ' s 617 Factory ( main contractor ) , 616 Factory , 477 Factory , and 201 Institute ( now China North Vehicle Research Institute ) were ordered to develop China ' s new second - generation tank . The project benefitted from imported Western Technologies in the 1980s . The first Type 80 MBT was based on the older Type 79 MBT hull , but equipped with new Chinese - made wheels / tracks , German - designed 730 hp diesel engine , British - designed dual - axis stabilized fire - control with laser range - finder , and NATO - standard 105 mm gun licensed from Austria . The improved version of this tank later entered service in 1988 under the PLA designation of Type 88 . The Type 88 tank is unique in that unlike the rest series of Chinese tanks , this series actually includes versions from different families of earlier tanks . Production of Type 88 - series MBTs was stopped in 1995 . About 400 to 500 Type 88 - series tanks are in service with the PLA today . See also . Type 59 / 62 - Type 69 / 79 - Type 80 / 85 / 88 - Type 90 / 96 - MBT 2000 - Type 98 / 99 - T - 72 - M - 84 - M - 95 - PT - 91 - M - 2001 - T - 80 - T - 84 - T - 90 - T - 95