- No.196 Infantry Brigade, the first infantry unit to receive foreign guests

　　
A barrack area of No.196 Infantry Brigade

　　It is a barracks without enclosing wall!

　　Standing on a long path where officers and men used to line up to welcome foreign guests, one can have an overall view of the office building, white-walled reception center and 400-meter-long soldiers' dormitory. Spacious, tidy and clean, this barracks is ready to open to foreign guests at any time.

　　"As the first infantry unit of the PLA to open up to foreign guests decided by the Central Military Commission in 1955, we decided not to build the enclosing wall in order to fully reflect the open, transparent and self-confident diplomatic concept of the PLA. The barracks without enclosing wall also indicates that our brigade has moved from partial opening to full opening-up," said Liu Jingchao, political commissar of No.196 Infantry Brigade.

　　Enclosing wall, either visible or invisible, has been built up by the honors the brigade won. However, circumstances change with the passage of time, the tide of the times forced No.196 Infantry Brigade to re-consider its barrack area, especially the wall in the hearts of the officers and men.

　　Along with the vicissitudes of international affairs, profound changes have taken place in pattern of operations. Since the 1990s, No.196 Infantry Brigade has carried out reform over a dozen of military demonstration items in light of actual combat.

　　In the past twenty years and more, I visited No.196 Infantry Brigade three times, and each time I had new discovery. Although the troops are smaller in size, but their equipment is becoming better and better, and the officers and men are becoming more vigorous and energetic," said Jimmy, a CNN reporter based in China.

　　Coming into the 21st century, China has been actively in fostering a new security concept featuring mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality and cooperation, and participating in international security cooperation. However, for some reasons, some people in the world still hold that the Chinese army is a closely guarded army, and still a mysterious "threat". Thus to remove the misunderstanding in the minds of these people, and even "the enclosing wall" imposed upon the Chinese army, has become a new connotation of receiving-foreign-visitors work of No.196 Infantry Brigade.

　　In July 2002, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs arranged foreign reporters to visit No.196 Infantry Brigade, which is the first time in the PLA history to invite foreign reporters to visit operational troops on such a large scale. 105 reporters of 70 media from 16 countries arrived upon invitation. After the excellent military demonstrations, they rushed down the visitors' stand and closed in on the officers and men to ask questions.

　　"Do you think a war might break out in the Taiwan Strait?"

　　"It is our duty to defend our national sovereignty and territorial integrity, we are ready to answer the call of our motherland at any time."

　　"Your pay is so low, do you think its fair to you?"

　　"We are fulfilling our obligation for our motherland in accordance with the Military Service Law. I volunteered to join the army and I am proud to be a solder."

　　"Is the United Sates the biggest adversary to China?"

　　"The United Sates is the biggest strategic partner of China."

　　……

　　The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is satisfied with the activity and praised, "Every officer and man in the No.196 Infantry Brigade can be a spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs".

　　Liu Jingchao, political commissar of the brigade noted, "Thanks to China's sustained and deep-going reform and opening up, and the unremitting professional training and education of the troops, the quality of manpower sources for military service and the comprehensive quality of officers and men have enhanced notably, thus we have confidence and capability to successfully accomplish the task of receiving foreign reporters."

　　Along with modernization of the barracks and more realistic military demonstrations as well as the constant improvement of the qualities of officers and men, No.196 Infantry Brigade is now widely open to foreign visitors except some confidential facilities. The visiting routes for foreign guests are no longer fixed and can be readjusted at any time. From partial opening-up to full opening up, No.196 Infantry Brigade is ready to present to the world a Chinese military barracks of the 21st century, a Chinese army making its way into the world, and a group of pride and self-confident Chinese servicemen!

　　By Li Donghang and Luo Zheng

　　(July 15, PLA Daily)                                         Editor: Ouyang Dongmei