Defense & StrategyAnalysis
China Releases Military Video 'In Their Prime' Ahead of Long March Anniversary
Co-produced by Xinhua and the Central Military Commission's Political Work Department, the promo highlights peacekeeping, training, and disaster relief.
Share
U.S. Secretary of Defense via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
The Brief
On July 30, China's Ministry of National Defense announced the release of "In Their Prime," an international promotional video showcasing the modern Chinese armed forces. Jointly produced by Xinhua News Agency and the Political Work Department of the Central Military Commission, the video aligns with commemorations marking the 90th anniversary of the Red Army's Long March victory. Defense Ministry spokesperson Senior Colonel Jiang Bin stated that the production highlights young service members engaged in combat training, border defense, disaster response, joint drills, and international peacekeeping missions, framing their service as a continuation of revolutionary tradition.
Why it matters
The release reflects ongoing efforts by Chinese defense and media organs to proactively shape international communication frameworks during major historical commemoration cycles. By highlighting peacekeeping, joint exercises, and humanitarian response alongside traditional combat readiness, Beijing aims to project the People's Liberation Army as a modern force committed to international stability while reinforcing domestic ideological continuity.
China context
Linking contemporary military duties to the 90th anniversary of the Red Army's Long March victory bridges domestic political education with external strategic communication. For domestic audiences, it reinforces revolutionary tradition and party loyalty among younger personnel. For international observers, it represents a continued push by Beijing to deploy polished multi-platform media content to counter external military threat narratives and present an image of a professional, peace-oriented military.
Editor's View
EDITOR'S VIEW — Analysis and inference, not factual reporting.
The joint production between Xinhua and the Central Military Commission's Political Work Department underlines a coordinated strategy to merge state media distribution networks with official military narrative-building. By framing routine military duties—such as peacekeeping and joint training—as a modern continuation of the Long March, Beijing seeks to sustain internal ideological legitimacy while offering foreign audiences a curated depiction of its military capabilities.
What to watch
- International distribution channels and engagement metrics across foreign media platforms and social networks.
- Subsequent defense education and military diplomacy activities tied to the 90th anniversary of the Long March victory.
Key Takeaways
- 1China's Ministry of National Defense announced the release of the promotional video 'In Their Prime' on July 30.
- 2The video was co-produced by the Political Work Department of the Central Military Commission and Xinhua News Agency.
- 3The project is tied to commemorations for the 90th anniversary of the Red Army's Long March victory.
- 4Featured themes include combat readiness, border defense, disaster relief, joint drills, and international peacekeeping.
On July 30, China's Ministry of National Defense announced the official release of "In Their Prime," an international online promotional video designed to present the image of the Chinese armed forces to a global audience.
Speaking at a regular press conference in Beijing, Ministry of National Defense spokesperson Senior Colonel Jiang Bin introduced the project, explaining that it was co-produced by the Political Work Department of the Central Military Commission and Xinhua News Agency.
According to Jiang, the promotional video is framed around the historical background of commemorating the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Red Army's Long March. Emphasizing that every generation faces its own historical journey, Jiang stated that the video focuses on new-era service personnel undertaking what the Chinese military terms "new Long March" responsibilities during the peak years of their service.
The content of "In Their Prime" covers a wide spectrum of military duties and international engagements. According to official disclosures at the press conference, the film highlights Chinese military personnel participating in combat readiness training, border defense deployments, and emergency disaster relief operations within China. Externally, the video showcases stories from foreign military exchanges, joint training exercises with foreign forces, and deployment in international peacekeeping operations.
Jiang stated that the video reflects how today's armed forces aim to retain the core qualities and spirit of the historic Red Army while maintaining a vibrant, modern stance committed to safeguarding international peace and security.
In his presentation, Senior Colonel Jiang Bin explicitly invited media representatives and the public to follow and cover the newly released promotional video. The announcement took place during the Defense Ministry's routinely scheduled press briefing on the afternoon of July 30, highlighting the central role that public affairs and international media diplomacy play in Beijing's communication efforts.
Sources
- 中国军队国际形象网宣片《当红》正式发布 — China Military Online · 7/30/2026