China Launches 2026 National Defense Education Month
China officially launched its 2026 National Defense Education Month on September 6 at the Guangdong Lingnan National Defense Education Base in Xingning, Guangdong Province, according to Xinhua News. The annual program, jointly organized by the Central Propaganda Department and the Central Military Commission National Defense Mobilization Department, aims to strengthen public awareness of national defense and patriotic education nationwide.
Annual Program and Theme
The 2026 activities are themed “Carry Forward the Great Long March Spirit, Jointly Build a Strong National Defense,” connecting the historical legacy of the Red Army’s Long March with contemporary defense education. The theme carries particular significance this year, as 2026 marks the 90th anniversary of the Long March’s victory and the 105th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China.
On September 1, the Central Propaganda Department and 11 other government departments jointly issued a notice requiring concentrated organization of defense education activities throughout September, as reported by the Ministry of National Defense. The notice emphasized adhering to the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and fully implementing General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important expositions on strengthening national defense education.
Launch Ceremony Highlights
At the launch ceremony, organizers released advanced typical practice cases of national defense education, showcasing new progress and achievements from various regions and departments across the country. The event was held at the Guangdong Lingnan National Defense Education Base, a facility built on the site of the former Siwangzhang mining area in Huanghuai Town, Xingning City.
The base, which began construction in August 2024 as a key project under Guangdong Province’s “100 Million Project,” spans approximately 2,000 mu (about 133 hectares) with a total investment of roughly 2.38 billion yuan, according to China News Network. Its Phase 1 operations began in March 2026, primarily conducting university student military training and national defense education. The facility includes training areas for military exercises, weapons operation, battlefield rescue, and tactical training.
Nationwide Participation
Beijing launched its own National Defense Education Month activities on September 4 at Shijingshan District, marking the fourth consecutive year the capital has participated in the program, according to the Beijing Municipal Government. Throughout September, Beijing will organize hundreds of defense education activities, including themed lectures, military day events, memorial activities, exhibition visits, military camp open days, and youth defense education programs.
The capital’s activities will incorporate interactive defense experience zones, static displays of defense equipment, and defense knowledge exhibition areas, allowing residents to engage with defense education in immersive settings. The Beijing Municipal National Defense Mobilization Education Hall, currently being renovated in Shijingshan, will serve as a permanent venue for regular national defense mobilization education.
Growing Institutional Significance
The National Defense Education Month, first launched in 2023, has become an important annual vehicle for strengthening national defense education across China. Each year’s program has adopted a distinct theme: the inaugural 2023 edition focused on striving forward to strengthen national defense, the 2024 program emphasized legal education on national defense, and the 2025 edition commemorated the 80th anniversary of China’s victory in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression.
The program’s expansion reflects China’s broader emphasis on cultivating a culture of national defense awareness among its citizens. The 2026 edition places particular emphasis on mass-oriented education activities designed to help cadres and the public strengthen their national defense concepts and fulfill their national defense obligations.
Looking Ahead
Throughout September, defense education activities will unfold across all regions and departments nationwide, encompassing everything from student military training to military camp open days and online education campaigns. The Guangdong Lingnan base is also developing additional facilities, including a “South Heaven Gate Project” experience hall scheduled to open in March 2027, which will feature interactive aerospace-themed exhibits combining defense education with advanced technology.
As the program enters its fourth year, the 2026 National Defense Education Month signals China’s continued commitment to embedding defense awareness into the fabric of civic education, linking historical narratives with contemporary national security priorities.