Modernization Personnel

Both Application Volume and Recruit Quality for Military Academies This Year Reached All-Time Highs

今年军校报考热度与生源质量均创历史新高

PLA Daily (解放军报) 30 July 2026

Summary

At the July 30 MND press conference, spokesperson Senior Colonel Jiang Bin reported that approximately 192,000 applicants from all 31 provincial-level units submitted military academy applications this year, with 22 academies admitting more than 17,500 candidates whose scores averaged in the top 6% of their respective provinces — both figures described as all-time highs. The framing around cultivating 高素质专业化新型军事人才 (high-caliber, specialized, new-type military personnel) and tempering 血性胆气 (fighting spirit and courage) fits the PLA's sustained effort to recruit academically stronger cohorts while reinforcing ideological and combat-oriented identity from the point of entry. What the announcement does not address is how admissions quality translates into retention or operational readiness downstream.

Translation

On the afternoon of July 30, the Ministry of National Defense held a routine press conference, at which Ministry of National Defense Spokesperson Senior Colonel Jiang Bin answered reporters' questions.

Reporter: Every year when students fill out their college entrance examination preferences, military academies remain an ideal choice for many students and parents. Please introduce this year's military academy enrollment and admissions work.

Jiang Bin: This year, large numbers of students continued to enthusiastically apply to military academies. Approximately 192,000 people from 31 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the central government) nationwide submitted applications. Twenty-two military academies admitted more than 17,500 candidates; admitted candidates' scores ranked on average in the top 6% of their respective provinces. Both application volume and recruit quality reached all-time highs.

Military academies are the cradle for cultivating high-caliber, specialized, new-type military personnel (高素质专业化新型军事人才); they are a battlefield for tempering fighting spirit and courage (血性胆气), and an even greater stage for the blossoming of youthful dreams. To choose a military academy is to choose to integrate one's personal ideals into the great endeavor of building a strong nation and a strong military. Here, I extend warm congratulations to all new comrades-in-arms who are about to enter military academies! We hope that you will take up the torch of the spirit passed down by your predecessors, strengthen your capabilities, shoulder your mission, and contribute the energy of your youth to high-quality advancement of national defense and military modernization and to accelerating the building of a world-class military.

Original Chinese

7月30日下午，国防部举行例行记者会，国防部新闻发言人蒋斌大校答记者问。记者：每年高考填报志愿，军校始终是很多学生和家长的理想选择。请介绍今年军校招生录取工作情况。蒋斌：今年广大学子持续踊跃报考军校，全国31个省（自治区、直辖市）约19.2万人报名，22所军校录取考生1.75万余名，录取考生成绩排名平均位各省前6%，报考热度与生源质量均创历史新高。军校是培育高素质专业化新型军事人才的摇篮，是磨砺血性胆气的沙场，更是绽放青春梦想的舞台。选择军校，就是选择把个人理想融入强国强军伟大征程。在这里，向所有即将踏入军校的新战友们致以热烈祝贺！希望你们接过先辈的精神火炬，强本领、担使命，为高质量推进国防和军队现代化，加快建成世界一流军队贡献青春力量。