Shen Jiayong, a soldier guarding the islands in the South China Sea, displays the national flag to students at the South China Sea School in Zhanjiang. Photo by Hou Kun: "I would like to present to you the national flag that was once raised on the island of Zhongjian in the Xisha Islands. I hope you can protect it well!" "I am the flag bearer of the school flag guard team, and we will definitely live up to our trust!" Recently, a five-star red flag that was once raised on Zhongjian Island in the Xisha Islands was escorted by Shen Jiayong, a soldier guarding the island in the South China Sea, and his comrades to Zhanjiang No.1 Middle School in Guangdong Province. In the presence of over 3000 teachers, students, and representatives from the South China Sea Island Garrison, this national flag was presented to the school's national flag guard team. The officers and soldiers, as well as all the teachers and students of the school, held a solemn flag raising ceremony to commemorate this glorious moment. The flag raising ceremony has ended, and the school organized the "Tianya Sentry" national defense knowledge lecture, where representatives of the South China Sea island guarding officers and soldiers interacted and exchanged ideas with students. Shen Jiayong and his comrades sent out two national flags that had been raised on islands and reefs in the South China Sea during this trip, and the other flag was collected by the Zhanjiang Nanhai School jointly built by Zhanjiang City and the Southern Theater Command Navy. On the day of receiving the national flag, the school held the unveiling ceremony of the first batch of "South China Sea Island and Reef Class". When the sign of "Yongxing Island Class" was hung on the classroom door lintel, the faces of seventh grade students in Class 1 were filled with pride and joy. Yongxing Island, Zhongjian Island, Chigua Reef... These are the names of some South China Sea officers and soldiers stationed on the islands and reefs, and will also become the names of each class at Zhanjiang Nanhai School. In the "Me and My South China Sea" story sharing session, representatives of the South China Sea island defense officers and soldiers told students about their island defense stories and brought a special gift - reef sand from the islands and reefs of the South China Sea. My grandfather and father told me that every grain of sand is our territory. I also want to become a navy and inherit their cause in the future. "Zhou Yiqin, a student at Zhanjiang Nanhai School, said that his father was an active naval officer and his grandfather had participated in the Battle of Nansha. Carefully taking the glass jar filled with reef sand, his expression couldn't hide his excitement. Establishing a link between the distinctive elements and fine traditions of the military and school classes aims to broaden and deepen cooperation between the military and civilian sectors in joint construction and education Introduction by the leader of the Political Work Department of a certain naval brigade in the Southern Theater Command. Zhanjiang, located at the southernmost tip of the mainland of China, is a gateway for the country to navigate the South China Sea and advance into the deep blue. As a garrison city, the sentiment of "the military loves the people, the people support the military, and the military and civilians are as close as fish and water" is deeply rooted in the hearts of local cadres and masses. A national flag, a group of sentinels from afar, and jars of reef sand make the concepts of the country and the "ancestral sea" concrete and vivid in the minds of students. The warm encounter between "white waves" and "red scarves" is a microcosm of Zhanjiang's military civilian joint exploration of a new model of national defense education in the new era. In recent years, the military and civilian forces in Zhanjiang have worked together to expand the scope of national defense education, forming a national defense education matrix and providing strong support for the in-depth development of national defense education for all. There are over 50 revolutionary sites and educational bases in the city, including the Cunjinqiao National Defense Education Theme Park, the Maxie Battery National Defense Education Theme Park, the "People's Navy Growth History" themed painted wall, the Revolutionary Martyrs Cemetery, and the Shuangyong Park, forming four red tour routes in a chain of beads. By strolling along the streets of Zhanjiang, citizens can subtly experience the charm of national defense culture. Beside the Zhanjiang Bay Bridge, the Ten Mile Military Port appears particularly magnificent under the sunset glow. For a period of time, both the new and old generations of Zhanjiang ships were stationed on both sides of the Haiwan Bridge, temporarily "in the same frame". Nowadays, one ship is heading towards a new channel for national defense education, and the other is guarding the thousands of miles of the motherland's maritime territory. In August 2020, the first generation Zhanjiang ship was retired and handed over to Zhanjiang, becoming a vivid carrier for the city to carry out national defense education. In 2021, the new generation of "Zhanjiang Ship" was put into service, continuing to inherit the hero ship name and writing about the dire situation with the people of Zhanjiang. Sergeant Major Li Baofu served on two generations of Zhanjiang ships. During this year's National Day holiday, he was invited as a guide to tell the stories of the Zhanjiang ship's participation in major missions such as combat readiness patrols, escort in the Gulf of Aden, and overseas evacuation to visiting citizens. Boarding the Zhanjiang ship, experiencing firsthand the strength of our motherland, and feeling immensely proud in my heart Liu Meng, a student from Guangzhou Ocean University, boarded the ship and took a photo with this heroic ship, feeling extremely excited. One day at the end of October, at the Zhanjiang Military Culture Expo Park, a group of students surrounded retired Air Force pilot Tian Xinmin. When he talked about his experience of defending the motherland's airspace back then, the children listened with great enthusiasm. The Zhanjiang Military Culture Expo Park, where Tian Xinmin is located, is a carefully crafted national defense education venue in Zhanjiang City with national defense education as the theme and military activity experience as the highlight. It showcases various types of weapons and equipment used by the People's Army from the Anti Japanese War period to the 1980s. Entering the Expo Park, fighter jets flap their wings to fly, cannons hold their heads high towards the sky, and tanks line up neatly, providing visitors with an immersive visiting experience. Once defended the southern frontier for the country, but now it has shed its armor and continued its glory. In recent years, Tian Xinmin, who is nearly ninety years old, still spares no effort to travel through numerous primary and secondary schools as well as party and government agencies in the urban and county towns of Zhanjiang, preaching stories of patriotism and support for the military. Study hard and serve the motherland! "After the lecture, veteran Tian Xinmin wrote his blessings to the children's notebooks one by one. (New Society)