The new regulations target teenagers from the age of 13, but in fact another ordinance had already expanded the program to primary school.

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Earlier this month, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, the State Council and the Central Military Commission released an interesting document entitled “Opinions on Strengthening and Improving National Defense Education in the New Era”. China’s official media conducted interviews with his CCP and military experts explaining what it is.

“National Defense Education” (national defense education) basically means that all Chinese students should get a taste of real military life. This prepares them if they are drafted into the People’s Liberation Army (People’s Liberation Army), but it also strengthens their ideological commitment to the Communist Party of China, as the PLA’s party loyalty is seen as exemplary. should be

All 18-year-old Chinese men must be drafted and may be called up for two years of service. In practice, this system does not mean that all will serve in the PLA. Because there are enough volunteers (including women) to make the conscription of non-volunteers unnecessary. But the Chinese Communist Party insists that everything should be ready in case the phone calls.

The new “opinion” establishes a mandatory military training period of 21 days a year for college students and 14 days for high school students. They acknowledge that not all of the secondary schools her teenager in China enters at the age of 13 have military training. training. However, he advises students to prepare to introduce seven days of military training.

The “opinion” calls for universities and schools to organize military summer and winter camp activities “in a standardized and orderly manner”, invite PLA officers and veterans to lectures, etc. Not all.

In fact, many Chinese students have military education before the age of 13. In January this year, the Ministry of Education and the Political Work Department of the Central Military Commission issued a Notice to More Effectively Establish Model Schools for the People. Defense education in primary and secondary schools.

The notice includes primary schools (for children ages 6 to 12), some of which need to implement pioneering programs in defense education. Schools must volunteer for this, according to the notice, but if the application is insufficient, the selected schools will be asked by the State Department of Education Administration and the State Military Administration to introduce the program. This is not the kind of proposal that Chinese school principals can refuse.