New structural layout of Chinese armed forces to debut at V-Day parade

China

New structural layout of Chinese armed forces to debut at V-Day parade

2025-08-20 14:13 Last Updated At：08-21 01:07

A new layout of the structure of Chinese armed forces will be displayed for the first time at the upcoming V-Day military parade, according to a press conference on Wednesday.

Wu Zeke, a deputy director of the Leading Group Office of Military Parade and a senior officer of the Joint Staff Department of the Central Military Commission, made the announcement at the press conference on preparations for the military parade.

Reform is the drive for a strong military, and a strong military underpins a strong country, Wu said.

"Last year, the PLA set up the information support force, and adjusted accordingly the administrative relations between the aerospace force and the cyberspace force. As a result of the reform, the PLA has basically formed a new layout of service branches and arms under the leadership of the central military commission, including four services, namely the army, navy, air force and rocket force, and four arms, namely the aerospace force, cyberspace force, information support force and joint logistics support force, representing a significant stride in building a modern military force with Chinese characteristics," he said.

"To demonstrate these arrangements and the reform, we have made plans in three aspects. The first is optimized structure in military forces. Like I just said, we have already released the new flags of the newly established forces just before Aug 1. The military flag is a flag that beckons the troops to fight, and it is also the symbol of the PLA. The refinement of the military flag system signifies the maturation of the military force structure. So in the upcoming military parade, the formations will carry their respective military flags and the flag of the People's Armed Police Force, which is a showcase of our comprehensive military strength," Wu said.

"The second is that the ratio of new quality forces in the new domains is on the rise. In addition to the four strategic arms in the foot formations, which represents new quality forces itself, we have also arranged new types of combat forces like unmanned, underwater, cyber and electromagnetic forces in the armament formations. The third is the more optimized system of armed forces, which not only include in-service PLA forces, but also the armed police force, the reserve force and the militia force, which together form an armed force system with the characteristics of our own military," he added.

Overlapping holidays boost tourism at China's film-themed attractions

Film-themed tourist destinations across China saw a surge in visitor numbers during the three-day Qingming Festival holiday, as the traditional festival overlapped with new spring break in several regions, creating a longer travel window and boosting domestic tourism.

The Tangcheng Film and Television Base in Xiangyang City in central China's Hubei Province, laid on extra events to take advantage of the overlapping holidays, resulting in a healthy rise in visitor numbers.

"During this year's Qingming holiday, we received a total of 71,800 visits, up 24 percent year on year compared with 2025. Thanks to the spring break policy this year, our peak tourism season started earlier than before. It also brought in more cross-provincial tourists to our scenic area, and both the visitor volume and the proportion of tourists from other provinces increased," said Wang Liang, general manager of the Tangcheng Film and Television Base.

To entertain the visitors, Tangcheng hosted a series of all-day interactive performances and themed programs, offering tourists an immersive experience built around traditional culture and film production settings.

Similar scenes were reported in east China's Zhejiang Province, where the Hengdian World Studios, one of the largest active film and television studios in the world, also welcomed a wave of tourists.

Family visitors, particularly parents traveling with children, were the main drivers of the tourism boom, according to the scenic area.

"We are here in Hengdian mainly thanks to the spring break. My child has worked hard at school so I think she can take a break here," a tourist said.

Local hospitality business operators in the area also noted visitor flows were significantly higher than in previous years, with family travel rising sharply.

Several provinces across the country introduced their first-ever spring break this year. The break typically lasts two or three days, but falls at different times. In some areas, the break comes just before the three-day Qingming Festival in early April, while in others it extends into the May Day holiday or is combined with weekends, resulting in a break of five to eight days.

The new vacation not only allows children to connect with nature in spring and reduces students' academic burden, but also creates a window for family travel, which is expected to boost tourism and consumption.