Revised law stresses better on-campus defense education

China passed the revision to the Law on National Defense Education on Friday, stressing national defense education on campus and the assisting role of military organs in students' military training.

The revised National Defense Education Law consists of six chapters. It was passed at the 11th session of the Standing Committee of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing.

The revision improves provisions regarding students' military training and adds provisions stating that national defense education on campus should be aimed at raising awareness among students of their legal obligation to perform military service.

When conducting military training for students, universities, and schools must follow the manuals - jointly written by education departments under the State Council and relevant units of the Central Military Commission - so as to strengthen the training of military skills, hone the quality of students' will, enhance their sense of discipline, and raise the level of military training, the new amendment reads.

The local military organ is required to assist universities and schools in carrying out students' military training, such as arranging training teachers and offering training venues and facilities, according to the amendment. Some members of the Standing Committee said doing a good job in school national defense education is the basis for recruiting high-quality soldiers.

Xu Guangyu, a Chinese military expert said that entering the new era, many new changes have taken place in the international and domestic environment, which means putting forward new and higher requirements for national defense education is necessary. China's practice conforms to the international trends of enhanced national defense education, Xu said.

The Law on National Defense Education was passed in 2001 and amended in 2018. The newly revised law will be implemented on September 21 this year.