By Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang, Spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense (MND)
Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense (MND) of the People's Republic of China (PRC), answers questions at a regular press conference on the afternoon of July 30, 2025. (mod.gov.cn)
(The following English text is for reference. In case of any divergence of interpretation, the Chinese text shall prevail.)
Zhang Xiaogang: Friends from the media, good afternoon. Welcome to this month's regular press conference of the MND.
First of all, I'm delighted to announce that we have another 28 international and domestic media outlets joining us at the MND regular press conference. Welcome. Friends from the media, we will continue to serve as messengers of the Chinese military. We hope you will use your pens and cameras to present a true, multi-dimensional and comprehensive view of the Chinese military in the new era, to tell our stories well and make our voice heard far and wide.
Zhang Xiaogang: I have two pieces of news to release.
Firstly, the Chinese and Russian navies will hold Exercise Joint Sea-2025 in the waters and airspace near Vladivostok, Russia, in August. After concluding the exercise, the two sides will deploy contingents from the participating forces to relevant waters of the Pacific Ocean for the sixth joint maritime patrol. This is an arrangement within the annual cooperation plan between the Chinese and Russian militaries. It is not targeted at any third party, nor is it related to the current international or regional situation.
Secondly, the Training and Administration Department of the Central Military Commission, in collaboration with the Nanchang Municipal People's Government, will host the Qiangjun Cup competition for PLA military academies in Nanchang City, Jiangxi Province, from August 1 to 8. Over 500 cadets from 24 military academies of the PLA and the PAP will compete with each other in 28 events across 6 sports, basketball, football, volleyball, table tennis, badminton and swimming. The Qiangjun Cup competition is a military-wide sports event, which serves as a distinctive way to commemorate the PLA Day on August 1. It has been held in Nanchang, a heroic city with glorious revolutionary traditions, for four consecutive years. The competition helps to enhance athleticism of service members, foster vibrant environments at military camps, and promote sports activities in military academies.
Journalist: It's reported that the number of this year's high school graduates applying for military academies has hit a record high. Please provide more information about this.
Zhang Xiaogang: According to my information, this year, nearly 135,000 students from 31 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions applied for military academies, among which 16,900 applicants were admitted. The completion rate of admission plans reaches 100%. The average score for admission exceeds the threshold for special-type enrollment by 101 points, representing a significant increase in the competence of admitted students. This reflects the strong patriotism of young people in the new era.
Military academies enable young people to live their lives to the fullest. We warmly welcome our new comrades-in-arms. We wish you success in forging an iron will in the crucible of military education, in taking the right first step in your military career, and in developing exceptional ability and exemplary conduct. Here, you will pursue your passion while contributing to the great cause of strengthening our military and transforming it into a world-class armed force.
Journalist: Britain's Defense Secretary John Healey said on July 27 during his visit to Australia that the UK is ready to engage in a fight in the Pacific if conflict breaks out over Taiwan. What's your comments on this?
Zhang Xiaogang: The Taiwan question is purely an internal affair of China, which brooks no foreign interference. We urge the UK side to be prudent on its words and actions concerning the Taiwan question, refrain from sending wrong signals to separatist forces for "Taiwan independence", and avoid undermining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. No one should underestimate the firm will and strong ability of the PLA to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Journalist: I have two questions. Firstly, it's reported that the Philippine Defense Secretary said that the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is shifting its focus from combating domestic insurgency to external defense, and will take firm measures against China's "aggressive" behaviors in the South China Sea. The Philippine side is strengthening defense cooperation with the US, Australia, Japan and India. What's your comments on this? My second question is that the Taiwan-produced TV series Zero Day Attack depicts a fictional story that the PLA imposes a maritime blockade against Taiwan under the pretext of a search and rescue operation, which is followed by a landing operation. There are online comments that this TV show could unite the Taiwan society against threats from the other side of the Strait, while others see it as an advertisement for conscription. Have you noticed this TV series? What's your view of these online comments?
Zhang Xiaogang: On your first question, relevant remarks of the Philippine side misrepresent the facts and attempt to cast itself as the victim. China's Nanhai Zhudao is beyond the limits of the Philippine territory, which has long been defined by a series of international treaties. The Philippine side illegally occupies some islands and reefs of China's Nansha Qundao, repeatedly makes provocations and harassment against the Chinese side at sea, and seduce foreign forces to make waves in the South China Sea. It has become the source of trouble and dangers. The Chinese side never wavers in our resolve and will to safeguard national territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, and will take resolute countermeasures against any provocations by the Philippine side in accordance with laws and regulations.
On your second question, there are many negative comments about this TV show in Taiwan. The DPP authorities are criticized for stoking anxiety about war and making provocations, in an attempt to plunge Taiwan into war and make ordinary people of Taiwan to serve as "Taiwan independence" cannon fodder. Their scheme to force compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait into conflict and to harm and ruin Taiwan will find no support and is doomed to failure.
Journalist: I have two questions. First, the Taiwan region recently conducted the Han Kuang 41 exercise, with the duration doubled from last year. Many US weapon systems made their debut in the exercise. The drills mobilized record-high personnel, and included subjects on in-depth defense and protracted warfare. What's your comments on that? Second, the US Air Force recently held Exercise Resolute Force Pacific in the Western Pacific, reportedly its largest-ever drill in the region. What is your comments on that?
Zhang Xiaogang: On your first question, the Han Kuang exercise is no more than a show. It cannot change the destined failure of separatists seeking "Taiwan independence". The drills will only expose the vicious calculation of the DPP authorities to harm and ruin Taiwan in the name of protection, and to coerce the people of Taiwan into being cannon fodder. We warn the DPP authorities that too many vile deeds will lead to one's self-destruction, and whatever they do will be of no avail. We firmly oppose any forms of military collusion between the US and the Taiwan region, and request the US side to earnestly abide by the promise of not supporting "Taiwan independence", stop sending wrong signals to separatist forces, and stop disrupting peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.
On your second question, the Pacific should be an ocean of peace, not a place to stir storms. Holding onto its Cold-War mentality, the US side keeps flexing its muscles in the Asia Pacific, forms exclusive blocs under the guise of military exercises, and coerces and puts pressure on others. Its behaviors damage peace and stability in the Asia Pacific. Come what may, we will remain composed. The Chinese military has full confidence and capability to overcome any risks and challenges, safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests, and remain a staunch force for global and regional peace.
Journalist: I have two questions. First, in response to the Chinese mainland inviting the Kuomintang (KMT) veterans to observe the military parade on September 3, the DPP authorities warned those veterans that whoever attends relevant events would lose their retirement benefits. What's your comments on this? My second question is that Hsiao Bi-khim reportedly said that Taiwan does not seek conflict with China and will not provoke confrontation, but Beijing continues to put pressure on Taiwan by military and economic means, which is counterproductive. May I have your comments?
Zhang Xiaogang: On your first question, the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression is a righteous fight in which all the Chinese people united together against the invasion of Japanese militarists. The DPP authorities threatening and intimidating these war veterans are shameful behaviors that betray the nation, history and conscience.
On your second question, Taiwan is China's Taiwan. No one is more committed to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait than we are. The root cause of cross-Strait tension lies with the DPP authorities obstinately pushing for "Taiwan independence" and colluding with foreign forces to make provocations. In the face of separatist activities, the PLA will not sit idly by, and will continue to speak with actions to safeguard our national sovereignty, territorial integrity and peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.
Journalist: Since July 23, northern China has been hit by heavy rainfall, with downpours battering districts of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region on the night of July 28. The water levels of several reservoirs are high, and breaches occurred in embankments, causing severe flooding in some areas. Could you please brief us on the disaster rescue operation conducted by the PLA and PAP forces?
Zhang Xiaogang: At this very moment, the PLA and PAP forces are combating flood disasters and mitigating losses in affected regions. We will resolutely implement President Xi's important directives on flood relief and disaster response, and accomplish missions entrusted by the Party and the people. Timely updates will be provided once available.
Journalist: It's reported that according to sources, the US administration denied permission for Lai Ching-te to stop in New York en route to Latin America. At the same time, Lai's office said that there are no immediate plans for his overseas travel. May I have your comments on this?
Zhang Xiaogang: Upholding the one-China principle is what justice demands, and is where the public opinion trends and the arc of history bends. The Chinese side firmly opposes any forms of official interactions between China's Taiwan region and any other countries. We require the US side to earnestly abide by the one-China principle and stipulations of the three China-US joint communiqués, handle the Taiwan question with extra prudence, and work with us to promote the steady, sound and sustainable development of China-US relations.
Journalist: How is the relationship and cooperation between the Chinese armed forces and the Iraqi Force, and what kind of weapons China is selling to Iraq?
Zhang Xiaogang: The Chinese and Iraqi armed forces have friendly relations and maintain pragmatic cooperation in areas including personnel training.
Journalist: It's reported that the MND Peacekeeping Affairs Center, in collaboration with relevant military academies, organized two productive international training courses, the UN Military Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit Course and the UN Female Military Officers Course. Please provide more information about the Chinese military's participation in the training of UN peacekeepers.
Zhang Xiaogang: The two international peacekeeping training courses you mentioned were jointly organized by the MND Peacekeeping Affairs Center and military academies such as the PLA Army Engineering University and the National University of Defense Technology. These programs trained nearly 40 peacekeeping professionals from 13 countries. This year, China plans to host three additional international training courses on peacekeeping intelligence, civilian protection and drone technology.
Since 2015, the MND Peacekeeping Affairs Center has held 25 international training programs on such topics as civilian protection, and for senior officials in peacekeeping missions, peacekeeping instructors, military peacekeeping professionals, and female peacekeeping officers. Additionally, it has dispatched multiple batches of peacekeeping experts to deliver lectures overseas. They have trained over 1,600 peacekeepers for more than 70 countries. The Chinese military will continue to uphold the principles of shared resources and win-win cooperation, actively assist other troop-contributing countries in enhancing their peacekeeping capabilities, and make due contributions to the UN peacekeeping cause.
Journalist: It's reported that the troops of Taiwan recently conducted the Han Kuang 41 exercise, which, for the first time, included the so-called urban resilience drills and had chain supermarkets participating in air defense simulation drills. During the exercise, multiple districts of Taiwan were stricken by a typhoon. When victims turned to the military for help, Lai Ching-te said that they should not rely on the troops of Taiwan for everything, and that the troops were currently preoccupied with the Han Kuang war games. What's your comments on this?
Zhang Xiaogang: The Han Kuang exercise is no more than a show. The Lai Ching-te authorities are too busy with their bluffing shows to care about the people of Taiwan stricken by natural disasters. They will be despised for sure.
Journalist: The task fleet led by PLANS Shandong visited Hong Kong this month, which was warmly welcomed by local citizens and well received by people from all walks of life. Will more aircraft carriers or military vessels hold such open day events in the future?
Zhang Xiaogang: We will organize more open day activities for the public to walk into the barracks and gain firsthand knowledge on the Chinese military.
Journalist: It's reported that the 2025 pilot cadet recruitment of the PLA Air Force has received widespread public attention. Could you offer us more details?
Zhang Xiaogang: Nearly 100,000 high school graduates applied for the PLA Air Force pilot cadet program this year. The number of admissions remains high, covering nearly 900 high schools across 31 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions. The score for admission far exceeds the threshold for special-type enrollment of each province. Among the admitted students, 91 of them are from ethnic minorities.
Starting from this year's PLA Day on August 1, the PLA Air Force will dispatch Y-20 aircraft to transport new pilot cadets to the PLA Air Force Aviation University for enrollment. This unique welcoming ceremony will inspire young aspirants to aim high and dream big.
Journalist: We noticed that The Guardians, an international promotion video of the Chinese military, has drawn wide attention both domestically and globally since its release. What is the special significance of launching this video days before the PLA Day? Do you have any more granularity to share?
Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense (MND) of the People's Republic of China (PRC), answers questions at a regular press conference on the afternoon of July 30, 2025. (mod.gov.cn)
Zhang Xiaogang: The video The Guardians portrays vividly how the Chinese military undertakes its responsibilities to deliver on the vision of building a community of a shared future for humanity and to safeguard homeland, protect people, cherish lives, and uphold peace. In the video, you will see the Chinese military participating in the UN peacekeeping operations, the PLA naval task groups conducting vessel protection missions in the Gulf of Aden and waters off Somalia, the birth of the Bangladeshi baby girl Chin on the PLANS Peace Ark, and a little girl being escorted hand-in-hand during the evacuation operation in Yemen. These moments capture the heartwarming strength of Chinese service members. As some netizens commented, "This shows how a military should act - not bullying or coercing others into obedience, but helping others to develop and jointly building a better world."
Journalist: It's reported that the US recently expedited the deployment of "Golden Dome" space-based missile defense system, and planned to expand its missile defense network in the Asia Pacific. The US side said that this aims to address "threats from Chinese and Russian hypersonic weapons". The Chinese side previously criticized the plan for violating the Outer Space Treaty and exacerbating arms race. Given the current international security landscape, how will the Chinese military respond to this strategic development of the US side? Will the Chinese side take countermeasures to safeguard space security and strategic balance?
Zhang Xiaogang: The Chinese side is committed to the peaceful use of space and has no intention to engage in arms race in space with any other country. We urge the US side to stop expanding military build-up in space, refrain from turning space into a new battlefield for big power rivalry, and avoid damaging the common home of humanity.
Journalist: It's reported that the US side dispatched over 400 observers, including active and retired military officers, to the Han Kuang 41 exercise. May I have your comments on this?
Zhang Xiaogang: The Taiwan question is purely an internal affair of China, which brooks no foreign interference. We firmly oppose any forms of military collusion between the US and the Taiwan region. We warn the DPP authorities that a useful fool will eventually become an abandoned tool, and that soliciting US support for "Taiwan independence" and resisting reunification by force will not succeed.
Journalist: It's reported that the PAP recently hosted Sharp Blade 2025 International Sniper Competition in Xinjiang. Please provide more details.
Zhang Xiaogang: Sharp Blade 2025 International Sniper Competition was successfully held at a base of the Xinjiang Corps of the PAP. Over 50 sniper teams from more than 20 countries, including Russia, Spain, Indonesia and the UAE, competed across 12 events in 4 categories. This competition featured realistic combat conditions, personnel and equipment integration, and technical and tactical synergy. It effectively evaluated the real combat capabilities of sniper teams, including tactical and technical integration, "unmanned systems plus sniping", and "command plus coordination". This event strengthened cooperation and exchanges between the PAP and foreign police and gendarmerie forces.
Journalist: As reported by Kyodo News, Japan's Defense Ministry unveiled its first Space Domain Defense Guidelines on July 28, which aimed at bolstering its defenses in outer space in response to threats posed by the so-called militarization of space. The Guidelines claimed that China and Russia are developing killer satellites to attack and neutralize artificial satellites of other countries. "The militarization of space is advancing with growing threats and risks." What's your take on this, please?
Zhang Xiaogang: The Chinese side firmly opposes the smears and accusations made by the Japanese side. In recent years, the Japanese side has been barrelling down the road of military expansion, expanding military cooperation in space with the US and other western countries, and pushing for the development and deployment of space weapons in the name of defense. This has aroused concerns of neighboring countries over the resurgence of militarism in Japan. We urge the Japanese side to stop hyping up China-related matters, be prudent on its words and actions in the military and security domain, and earn the trust of its Asian neighbors and the rest of the international community through concrete actions.
Journalist: I have two questions. Firstly, in the Extended Deterrence Dialogue attended by their heads of foreign and defense departments, the US and Japan held multiple tabletop exercises to strategize a scenario in which a conflict broke out in East Asia and the US is pressured to use nuclear weapons. May I have your comments on this? Secondly, it's reported that the troops of Taiwan plan to purchase five more types of 48,750 commecial-grade UAVs for military use in the next two years. Over 50,000 commercial-grade UAVs, including more than 3000 drones previously procured, will be equipped around 2028. What's your take on this?
Zhang Xiaogang: On your first question, as a victim of nuclear explosions, the Japanese side should have a profound realization that a nuclear war must not be fought and cannot be won. However, some individuals of the Japanese side attempt to upgrade the so-called extended deterrence of the US, push for the introduction and even the use of nuclear weapons through "nuclear sharing", and provoke arms race. It's a very dangerous development. The Chinese side urges the US and Japan to abandon their Cold-War mentality, reduce the role of nuclear weapons in national and collective security policies, and take concrete actions to uphold strategic stability and regional peace and security.
On your second question, here is what I want to say: the "Taiwan Independence" armed forces are overreaching themselves and their efforts are futile.
Journalist: Foreign journalists in China used to have one opportunity to visit a PLA unit every year, but we have not had these opportunities in recent years. Will the Chinese side consider doing these again in the future?
Zhang Xiaogang: And as I mentioned, we will host more open-day events to let the public, including journalists, experience the Chinese military firsthand.
Journalist: According to the UK media, the US is pushing Japan and Australia to clarify what role the two countries will play if a war over Taiwan breaks out, which frustrated the two countries. Could you please comment on this?
Zhang Xiaogang: I will not comment on hypothetical questions. But I want to emphasize that some external forces always want to use the Taiwan question to make trouble and challenge the core interests of China. Such behavior is extremely dangerous and will not succeed. It's known to all that the US side can only be fair-weather friends for its allies and partners. We hope relevant countries will not be cat's paws for others, which will end up harming themselves, and will not disrupt peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.
Journalist: It is reported that the Philippine President visited the US recently. During his visit, the US Defense Secretary reaffirmed US defense commitment to the Philippines, which extends to armed attacks on the Philippine Coast Guard ships in the South China sea. The US State Department announced the provision of at least $60 million foreign assistance to the Philippines. The Philippines approved the US to construct a ship maintenance facility in Palawan, in support of Manila's operations in the disputed waters of the South China Sea. May I have your comments on this?
Zhang Xiaogang: As we all know, emboldened by the instigation and support of the US side, the Philippines repeatedly make rights-infringing provocations and create trouble at sea. The US and the Philippines attempt to intimidate and put pressure on the Chinese side with their bilateral treaty, which will never work. The Chinese side will continue to take resolute and strong measures to firmly safeguard national territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.
Zhang Xiaogang: We will celebrate the 98th anniversary of the founding of the PLA in two days. Born amid the flames of war, the PLA has, under the absolute leadership of the Communist Party of China, marched forward from one victory to another with commitment and glory. The Chinese military remains combat-ready at all times to safeguard the magnificence of our motherland and the tranquility of our people's lives. It brings stability and positive energy to global peace, and will remain a trusted and reliable force for justice. Here, please allow me to extend early festive greetings to all our comrades-in-arms.
