# civil-military relations
Latest news and articles about civil-military relations
Total: 29 articles found
Generations of Service: Veteran Bugler and 76‑Year‑Old Grandmother Mark Emotional Send‑Off for New Recruits
State media circulated images of a Korean War veteran playing a farewell bugle and a 76‑year‑old grandmother handing dumplings to a new recruit at an enlistment ceremony, portraying generational continuity and public support for the military. The vignette serves both as a human interest story and as a deliberate piece of messaging that reinforces domestic legitimacy for China’s defence posture.
PLA and Local Forces Rewalk Anti-Japanese Guerrilla Routes to Cement Red Memory and Boost Readiness
In Tonghua, Jilin province, a joint activity led by the local military sub-district and a PLA unit named after guerrilla hero Yang Jingyu brought together soldiers, recruits, militia and students to retrace anti-Japanese guerrilla routes. The event combined ceremonial, educational and field elements to deepen revolutionary memory, strengthen civil–military ties and enhance readiness among new and reserve personnel.
Chinese Military Plants Trees on Arbor Day to Green Garrisons and Burnish Image Abroad
On China’s 48th Arbor Day, PLA units and affiliated militia carried out coordinated tree‑planting in barracks, garrison areas and a UN mission site in Abyei. The drives serve both practical environmental aims and broader political objectives: improving camp conditions, strengthening civil‑military ties, and burnishing China’s international image through visible, low‑risk public diplomacy.
Spring at the Edge: How China’s Border Garrisons Cultivate Greenhouses, Honors and Home Ties to Sustain Frontier Morale
As spring slowly returns to China’s high frontiers, PLA border units are planting greenhouses, hanging wooden star plaques on an honour tree and cultivating family and civic ties to sustain morale. These initiatives improve living conditions, reinforce unit identity and serve a broader domestic messaging effort about the normality and dedication of frontier service.
U.S. Attorney General Moves into Military-Base Residence Amid Threat Concerns, New York Times Reports
The New York Times reports that Attorney General Bondi has moved into a fortified residence on a Washington-area military base after being warned of threats related to drug cartels and criticism over the Epstein case. Several other senior U.S. officials are reported to live in similar military housing, raising questions about security, costs and the politicization of protection for government leaders.
How a PLA 'Red Company' Turns Revolutionary Lore into Modern Fighting Credibility
State media has highlighted the 78th Group Army’s “Red Third Company” for combining modern mechanized tactics with a long revolutionary lineage, claiming the unit destroyed more than ten opposing vehicles in a recent exercise while sustaining no casualties. The report serves both as a tactical vignette about mobility and small-unit initiative and as political messaging that binds combat proficiency to historical memory and civic virtue.
Beijing Reaffirms Political Control as Central to Military Modernization
A March 8 commentary from a state military outlet reiterated that the Communist Party’s political construction is the linchpin of China’s defence and military modernization. The piece stresses a cautious, unity-first modernization that integrates ideological control with technological and organisational reforms, underscoring trade-offs between political loyalty and technical meritocracy.
From Jinggangshan to the NPC: A People's Armed Police Officer Repackages 'Red' Education for a New Generation
Zheng Hao, a People's Armed Police instructor and NPC deputy, has institutionalised a sensory "five-one" induction rooted in Jinggangshan and Nanchang revolutionary sites to instil red tradition in recruits. His proposals to digitise and centralise red-education resources reflect Beijing’s push to bind military professionalisation to Party loyalty and scale patriotic instruction across an internet-savvy generation.
When New Recruits Meet Old Hands: A Moment That Sells Continuity in China’s Military
A Xinhua photo of a new recruit meeting a veteran has been framed as a symbol of continuity in the People’s Liberation Army, conveying both political messaging and practical concerns about recruitment, professionalization and veteran reintegration. The image underscores Beijing’s effort to present the military as modern yet rooted in tradition, even as the PLA confronts evolving personnel and welfare challenges.
Across a Century: A Veteran, a 'Red Ninth' Company and the Promise of 2027
A 99-year-old veteran and the PLA’s “Red Ninth” company—both founded in 1927—used a recent video call to pledge a centennial reunion in 2027, coinciding with the PLA’s 100th anniversary. The encounter blends personal memory with state symbolism, reinforcing narratives of continuity and showcasing the military’s ties to frontier postings such as Tibet.
U.S. Judge Blocks Effort to Strip Veteran-Senator’s Rank; Defense Secretary Appeals
A federal judge barred the Pentagon from demoting Senator and veteran Mark Kelly, finding the threatened action violated his First Amendment rights; Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has appealed. The case raises critical questions about executive authority, veterans' free speech and the politicization of military personnel decisions.
Comrades, Dumplings and a Promise: How the PLA Keeps the Family of a Fallen Soldier Close at Lunar New Year
Soldiers from the late Wang Zhuoran’s unit visited his parents over the Lunar New Year, offering practical help, reading letters from comrades and joining distant colleagues by video. The visit combined private consolation with public commemoration, reflecting how the PLA and state media use personal stories to reinforce morale, legitimacy and civil-military ties.