The soldiers selected into the Chinese People's Liberation Army navy formation to march in the grand V-Day military parade in Beijing on September 3 have been training wholeheartedly for the glorious mission, destined to show their unyielding spirit.
Scheduled to take place in Tian'anmen Square of downtown Beijing, the military parade is held to mark the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-1945) and the World Anti-Fascist War.
The navy formation is the youngest in average of all the marching contingents, just under 21. Among them, only two team leaders and one soldier have previous parade experience, and all the others are newcomers.
"Because we are younger, we may be falling short to older team members in terms of parade experience and mastery of formation movements. So, we must more deeply understand the formation movements and feel every move with our heart, so that we can achieve the desired results in a shorter time," said navy soldier Zhu Wenwei.
For these young people who have just entered the military academy, the intensity and high precision requirements of the military parade training are challenges they have never experienced in their lives.
To address the challenges, the coaches focused on key details such as elbows, force generation angles, and center of gravity, addressing each issue daily. The young soldiers, driven by their determination, have faced the challenges with unwavering confidence and a resolute willingness to endure hardships.
"80 years ago, our country was extremely backward in development, but the martyrs who fought against the Japanese aggression never gave up and marched forward step by step to where we are today. Our performance level was actually at the bottom of all formations when we started, but each of us intensified our training and gradually made it to where we are today, in the middle or even the upper level," said soldier Gan Xianhong.
"We have always held the belief: if others can do it, why can't we? We're younger and more energetic than them, and we have a relentless drive to fight and win. So, we've always maintained this drive, making incremental progress, and ultimately achieving our current success," said Zhao Haoxiang, another soldier.
Young Chinese naval sailors spare no efforts to prepare for military parade
Young Chinese naval sailors spare no efforts to prepare for military parade
A former television host from Taiwan, Zhai Xuan, has made a pivotal decision to leave mainstream broadcasting in order to create content that provides a better understanding of the Chinese mainland and cross-strait relations.
Zhai, a seasoned television host with over a decade of experience in Taiwan's media landscape, recently addressed an audience at an event in Beijing, where she revealed her complete transition into independent online media.
In her remarks, she articulated her aspiration to bridge what she perceives as a significant information gap between audiences on both sides of the Strait, highlighting her commitment to fostering a deeper understanding and connection through her new endeavors.
"I was really surprised by all the fake news. There were stories saying people on the mainland can't afford tea eggs or that they live in mud houses and in Taiwan, this was the main information many people received," said Zhai.
Zhai said she initially began producing online videos to challenge such perceptions while continuing her work as a television host.
In April 2025, she travelled to the mainland with her father to fulfill her late grandfather's wish to return to his hometown. The trip, which reunited family members separated since 1949, was recorded in a video series titled "Journey to Find Our Roots", drawing attention from viewers in both Taiwan and the mainland.
"Many people in Taiwan told me that after watching, they wanted to apply for a mainland travel permit immediately and go looking for their relatives. Some had long forgotten these things, but after seeing my story, they began thinking about their hometowns and family members they had never met and decided to search for their roots," Zhai shared her story at the event.
By mid-2025, Zhai said she began to feel increasing pressure amid rising political tensions and a tightening atmosphere around cross-Strait exchanges in Taiwan.
After more than 12 years in the industry, Zhai resigned from her position, believing it was the right thing to do.
"At that moment, I felt this was a major issue，not just for me, but for Chinese people on both sides of the Strait. If I backed down then, I wouldn’t be standing on the right side," said Zhai.
Since leaving television, Zhai has broadened her online programming to encompass a range of daily-life topics, including practical guidance on applying for a mainland travel permit and using commonly employed mobile applications, in addition to content that delves into historical memory and cultural connections across the Strait.
As the debate over cross-Strait relations continues in Taiwan, Zhai said she remains committed to her current path.
Former Taiwan TV host bridges cross-Strait divide via online media
