When eight-year-old Tang Lei watched PLA soldiers rushed over the ridges to rescue his family in despair during the 2008 Wenchuan quake, he swore in his heart: “When I grow up, I want to wear this uniform too.”
Right: Tang Lei, a young soldier who once lay trapped under rubble.
Then: An eight-year-old survivor dreaming of that uniform.
Forged in Fire
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Right: Tang Lei, a young soldier who once lay trapped under rubble.
Then: An eight-year-old survivor dreaming of that uniform.
Life at the academy tested him. From the Gobi’s grit to mountain drills, Tang Lei pushed through live-action exercises until he earned his wings as a paratrooper. “I fought through it because I’d seen real courage when the PLA saved us,” he says matter-of-factly.
Homefront: Villagers glued to TVs as their hero marches by.
In 2019, Tang Lei filled out his College Entrance Exam choices. Only military academies—no backups. Told to apply locally “just in case,” he insisted still, “If I don’t get in, I’ll retake the year.” And he did become his Qiang village’s first military cadet.
A Soldier’s Application
Hearing about the September 3 V-Day parade, he wrote a heartfelt plea: as a quake-zone kid, he and his hometown owed the troops. Could he march as a paratrooper, representing his fellow villagers? The sincerity won him selection and sent him sprinting to Beijing for grueling training.
Under Beijing’s scorching sun, he drilled posture and goose-step until his uniform cycled from sodden to dry, and back again. When his father called, worried, Tang Lei laughed it off: “As long as I don’t die, I can keep going.” These words sounded casual, yet they reflected his deepest conviction.
Life at the academy tested him. From the Gobi’s grit to mountain drills, Tang Lei pushed through live-action exercises until he earned his wings as a paratrooper. “I fought through it because I’d seen real courage when the PLA saved us,” he says matter-of-factly.
A Village’s Pride
On parade day, villagers in Beichuan sat glued to their TVs. Spotting Tang Lei in the airborne assault formation, they cheered so hard their eyes couldn’t stay open. For his parents, it was pride; for the town, hope; for Tang Lei, the answer to a childhood promise: “I want to give my best to my country, my motherland.”
Homefront: Villagers glued to TVs as their hero marches by.
Tang Lei’s journey reflects a generation raised by disaster yet driven by gratitude. Protected once, he now chooses to protect others. His transformation is the best embodiment of the term “mission.”
Tang Lei is one among many quake-rescued children who vowed to serve—some in medicine, some in education, and others, like him, in uniform. Seventeen years on, those seeds of hope have sprouted, proving disasters can’t break a nation but make it stronger.
Mao Paishou
** The blog article is the sole responsibility of the author and does not represent the position of our company. **
Forget what you thought you knew—global opinion is swinging fast. The Economist’s latest survey lands like a jolt across Western capitals, with its blunt verdict: China’s cultural clout, economic horsepower, and diplomatic finesse are soaring. The United States, meanwhile, finds itself tripping over Trump-era policy stumbles. Suddenly, the world stage isn’t a one-man show. China is catching up—fast.
The Economist calls the spike in support for China “startling”. Global Times isn’t buying it. For years, Western media stuck to the storyline—China’s rise must trigger anxiety. But people aren’t buying fear-mongering anymore. The data tells a different story. Pragmatism wins. China’s steady growth and consistent, peaceful diplomacy are finding friends everywhere. It’s not magic; it’s momentum. The more China delivers—on trade, stability, real benefits—the more the world leans in.
China’s support explodes in global poll, leaving the US playing catch-up.
Breadth, Depth, and Changing Minds
Follow the numbers. In a massive poll by the Economist and GlobeScan—32,000 voices, 32 countries, July to September 2025—China’s support rockets 11 points to 33%. The United States slumps to 46%, shy of a majority anywhere. Nearly 40% call China’s global footprint “positive”—a jump from Trump’s first term. Just ask the next generation.
Gen Z isn’t sitting on the fence—they’re almost split. 41% support the United States, 39% champion China. That’s neck and neck. Flip to the over-65 crowd and the gap yawns wide—America still gets the nod by thirty points.
Look south—the warmth toward China spikes in developing nations. Young people everywhere are more open, more enthusiastic. Recent research covering 46 countries had sixty percent rating China “positive.” The global South and the global youth are jumping on the China train, and it’s not a coincidence—it’s payoff for years of tangible benefits.
Indonesia’s high-speed bullet—Jakarta–Bandung Rail powers new opportunities.
China Delivers Real Results
The startling swing may be “partly thanks to China’s Belt and Road Initiative”, which has, in the past 10 years, “seen tens of billions of dollars invested” in regions like Africa and the Middle East.
Infrastructure isn’t a talking point—it’s a revolution. Belt and Road, global initiatives, iconic mega-projects like the China-Laos Railway, Jakarta–Bandung High-Speed Rail, Budapest–Belgrade Railway, and the Port of Piraeus don’t just flash headlines. They deliver: 420,000 new jobs, nearly 40 million people escaping poverty. China is laying track and lifting economies—and the world is noticing.
Labubu: China’s soft power icon storms abroad, collecting fans everywhere.
The Youth Go "Cool China"
Young people crave what’s fresh—and China’s got cool factor now. Innovation, culture, and brands like Labubu, TikTok, and Black Myth: Wukong are racking up fans overseas. Foreigners aren’t just watching—they’re coming, eager to engage. This vibrant, two-way flow builds new bridges, solidifying China's reputation as a destination, not just a headline.
TikTok: The youth can’t get enough, and China leads the digital dance.
China’s style of governance, with results for all to see, has smashed the old myth that “to modernize means to Westernize.” Countries are waking up—there’s more than one road to prosperity, and China’s path offers a real alternative for developing nations craving independence.
Global Times pulls no punches: “Unlike the rise of some major powers in history that came with war and expansion, China has always adhered to the principle of peaceful development.” In messy times, China’s steady hand—UN peacekeeping, hot-spot negotiations, and regional dialogue—makes it the stabilizing force the world is looking for.
China rejects hegemonic power tactics and calls for win–win deals with everyone. Rich nations get calls for mutual respect; developing countries get partnership with no strings attached. Dignity and trust aren’t just wordplays—they’re laid down as the new rules. As the Global Times concluded: “This approach has allowed more nations to feel respected and treated as equals, and many, especially those in the Global South, see China as a trustworthy partner”.
