Life and Leisure

First line of defense

By Wen Jiao (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-10-11 15:10
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 First line of defense

Patrolling the coast is lonely work on a secluded island with few inhabitants other than the fort's soldiers. [Photos by Cui Meng/China Daily]

 First line of defense

Chinese chess is played with pieces hand-carved from rocks on a special board also hand-made by the soldiers.

 First line of defense

A 5-km run with a full backpack is routine exercise.

First line of defense 

Soldiers face fire and smoke in a military exercise.

 First line of defense

Getting to shore after an amphibious landing.

 First line of defense

A scout in camouflage at Neichangshan Fort.

Soldiers at Neichangshan Fort triumph over adverse conditions, Wen Jiao reports.

The famous Neichangshan Fort of Jinan Military Area Command, known as the gateway of China's territorial defense system, is located on Neichangshan Islands, made up of dozens of isles of different sizes scattered in a corner of Bohai Sea.

Known as "the vital gate to the Bohai Sea and gateway to Beijing and Tianjin", the Neichangshan Islands are located north of Jiaodong Peninsula, south of Liaodong Peninsula and east of Beijing and Tianjin.

The islands (once known as the Changshan Islands), which were liberated on Aug 12, 1949, have been guarded by the People's Liberation Army ever since. The garrison was named Neichangshan Fort in 1993.

Generations of frontier soldiers have been stationed on the desolate islands. The first pioneers lived in camps, using oil lamps and drinking saltwater as they built the imposing fort on the sea by hand. They best represented the islanders' spirit of total dedication to the motherland and cherishing the islands as home.

The soldiers are far from the hustle and bustle of the city, and equally distant from their hometowns and families.

They are devoted to the frontier construction on the islands that have no inhabitants, freshwater, cultivated land or fixed flights.

After decades of construction, the defense system of Neichangshan Fort is expanding to include multiple capabilities, such as air defense, anti-vessel, anti-submarine and anti-amphibious vehicles.

Meanwhile, the infrastructure on the islands have gradually been improved upon, with orderly barracks, a vegetable greenhouse, a drill ground, library, Internet cafe and a psychological counseling room. The soldiers even made a Chinese chess set out of hand-carved rocks from the beach so they could keep mentally fit.