The WZ501 infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) is a Chinese copy of the Soviet/Russian BMP-1. China first obtained few examples of the BMP-1 via Egypt in the late 1970s. Reverse-engineering of the vehicle succeeded in 1986 and small batch production began in 1987. The WZ501 was originally developed for the export market, but was later adopted by the PLA, which desperately needed a dedicated IFV for its armoured troops. The WZ501 entered the PLA service in 1992 as the ZBD 86.

ZBD 86A is the latest improved variant fitted with a 30mm cannon turret and a HJ-73 ATGM launcher.