HOHHOT, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Police in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region have found an artillery shell discarded by Japanese troops from World War II.

The shell was found buried at a deserted plant workshop in Arxan, a county-level city that borders Mongolia, on March 11, when police were conducting a production safety inspection.

Police dug it out with bare hands to make sure the shell would not detonate, said a border police officer with the Hinggan League, which governs Arxan.

A preliminary examination found the shell was left by Japanese troops, and it has been relocated to a safe site for final destruction.

Located on the southwestern edge of the Greater Hinggan Mountains, Arxan is rich in forest resources. Records show Japanese invaders ruled brutally and economically plundered the area from 1934 to 1940. They also built military fortresses during the same period.

After the Japanese invaders were defeated in 1945, they buried a large quantity of chemicals weapons, shells and bombs in Chinese territory.

Police also searched the nearby area and found no more shells.