The ZTZ88A (88A式主战坦克, industrial code WZ122G) is the second revision of the ZTZ88, developed in the late 1990s. During this period, China's economic reforms and military modernisation created a pressing need for a new main battle tank before the future ZTZ99 series (Project 784) could enter service. To replace the existing fleet of ZTZ59 derivatives and utilise the existing production line of imported 105 mm cannons, the Fifth Ministry of Machine Building repurposed the design of the WZ1225 from Project 122 (developed in the 1970s) to create the first Chinese main battle tank, the ZTZ80. After approximately a decade of further development focusing on fire control systems and a more powerful engine, thanks to the BK122 (Type 85) series, this equipment was subsequently installed onto the ZTZ80 platform and renamed as the ZTZ88.

The A variant replaced the original ZPL83 gun with a new, longer ZPL94 105 mm cannon and experimented with an applique composite armour package to evaluate future PLAGF composite armour technology. Although deemed somewhat outdated by its introduction in the late 1990s, with the ZTZ99 and ZTZ96 ready for service, approximately 700 ZTZ88A tanks were built alongside the ZTZ88B, and have been observed as recently in the 2020s Sino-Indian LAC confrontation.

Introduced in Update "Wind of Change", the ZTZ88A serves as a transitional tank between the ZTZ59/69 series and the future ZTZ96 series, featuring an improved FCS, a long-barrelled 105 mm cannon, and a new powerplant that would be inherited by the future ZTZ96 series. It has experimental applique composite armour and enhanced mobility compared to any of the T-54 series, but lacks the flexibility of NATO MBTs or the kinetic protection of Soviet MBTs. Nevertheless, this tank serves as a valuable lead-in training vehicle for future PLAGF MBTs.