China's Defense Ministry Outlines Naval Port Calls and Student Military Drills

China's Ministry of National Defense announced key military diplomacy and domestic defense mobilization measures during a mid-September briefing. Senior Colonel Jiang Bin reported that the People's Liberation Army Navy's 48th escort task group is conducting port visits to Bangladesh, Myanmar, and Malaysia following operations in the Gulf of Aden. Domestically, the military deployed certified instructors to train nearly 30 million students across more than 20,000 schools this year, while defense authorities collaborate with the Ministry of Education to update the national student military training syllabus with digital and intelligent instruction methods.

The briefing highlights how China balances outward military diplomacy in its immediate neighborhood with broad internal defense mobilization. Port calls across the Bay of Bengal and Southeast Asia demonstrate naval operational reach and bilateral engagement. Simultaneously, mass student military training programs reflect Beijing's institutionalized effort to instill defense readiness and civic alignment across the younger generation.

China's Ministry of National Defense detailed a series of external diplomatic missions and domestic defense education efforts during its regular press briefing in mid-September. Defense Ministry spokesperson Senior Colonel Jiang Bin announced that the People's Liberation Army Navy's 48th escort task group had concluded its operational mission in the Gulf of Aden and was sailing homeward. On its return transit, the naval task group will pay port calls to Bangladesh, Myanmar, and Malaysia. According to the ministry, the visits will include professional exchanges and public ship-open days aimed at deepening traditional friendships, reinforcing strategic mutual trust, and contributing to regional stability. On multilateral commitments, Jiang stated that China's government and the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons are co-hosting the fourth training course on medical assistance and protection against chemical weapons at the Air Force Medical University from September 14 to 18. The program convened 28 participants from nearly 20 state parties, including Algeria, Austria, and Argentina. Training sessions center on diagnosing chemical poisoning, clinical treatment of chemical casualties, and organizing protective medical rescue through tabletop exercises and field simulations. In addition, the National University of Defense Technology is scheduled to hold the 2026 Future Military Technology International Cadet Week in Changsha, welcoming international cadets from countries including Pakistan, Laos, Egypt, Oman, and Kazakhstan. Turning to domestic defense mobilization, the spokesperson reviewed ongoing military training for incoming university and secondary school students. Jiang reported that the military mobilized certified instructors nearly 500,000 person-times this year to organize training for approximately 30 million students in more than 20,000 educational institutions nationwide. The training fulfills statutory requirements under China's Defense Law, Education Law, and National Defense Education Law. To adapt to contemporary needs, the Ministry of Education and the Central Military Commission's National Defense Mobilization Department are revising the official student military training syllabus. The proposed updates incorporate modernized content and expand the use of intelligent and information-based pedagogical tools, which are currently undergoing trials and pilot instruction in selected provinces.