Yong Ronglan, a sailor from the Xibe ethnic group, is on duty on the Changbaishan, an amphibian landing craft of the Chinese navy. Gan Jun / for China Daily

She operates equipment in the ship's helicopter section and has fallen in love with her navy career. She is determined to continue with it despite the well-meaning advice she is often given by relatives.

"What I do in the navy is definitely irrelevant to my major in college, which enabled me to land a high-paying job in a bank. My mother, brother and sister keep trying to persuade me to leave the navy as soon as my service ends," she said.

"In addition, my boyfriend, an army artillery specialist in Xinjiang, spares no effort in trying to get me to retire on schedule so we can get married. But I've made up my mind that I will stay in the navy, even if it means breaking up with him.''

Another woman who feels herself empowered by her PLA naval career is Yong Ronglan, a member of the Xibe ethnic group from the Ili Kazak autonomous prefecture in Xinjiang.

She said the navy has transformed women who did not know much about life at sea into self-assured and confident people who can answer their country's call.

"What really counts is that the navy has given us more than just military skills, it has given us a sense of team spirit and opportunities to see the world."

 

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