‘Two sessions’ 2024: China to revise defence education law to promote patriotism and support for military
- Premier Li Qiang says Beijing will help unity ‘between the military and the government, and between the military and the people’
- Official signals Cybersecurity Law amendment is advancing as Beijing tightens data security measures and reforms cyberspace regulation
The decision-making body of the Chinese legislature has pledged to this year advance revision of its defence education law, which mandates public awareness and education in support of the military.
He highlighted the revision of the National Defence Education Law as one of the legislative tasks of the year, with the aim of “modernising China’s system and capacity for national security”.
The law, adopted in 2001, calls for defence education in a wide range of organisations – including schools, enterprises, and publication sectors – and is aimed at “promoting patriotism” and consolidating the “defence structure”.
A minor revision was made in 2018 to change the wording of an article.
Proposals relating to the amendment have not been released. But alterations could include adding the definition of “defence education” and details absent in the existing statute.
Beijing urged the public to support national defence in its tone-setting government work report this year, a call that did not appear in the report last year.