Exovera’s report, PLA Service Articles Published in July 2025, examines 147 Chinese and English-language articles covering the activities of the PLA’s four services. Unlike previous months where the Army dominated coverage, July saw the Navy with the highest number of articles, driven by publicity around the Shandong aircraft carrier’s visit to Hong Kong and accompanying fleet operations. Reporting highlighted far-seas training, amphibious drills, and domestic outreach events, with over 30,000 Hong Kong residents boarding PLAN vessels. The Army remained active in publishing on routine training, but recurring themes included persistent unit-level challenges such as personnel turnover and the emphasis on “day-and-night” training. The Air Force and Rocket Force featured fewer but notable pieces, including flight training with J-10 and J-16 fighters, while Rocket Force articles remained largely unsubstantial.
Beyond routine training, PLA media underscored growing international engagement. July featured the first-ever joint training with Serbia, new border patrol exercises with Vietnam, and announcements of an upcoming Sino-Russian naval exercise near Vladivostok. The PLA also emphasized adherence to Xi Jinping’s guidance, the development of multi-skilled personnel, and symbolic initiatives such as the “Most Beautiful Revolutionary Soldiers of the New Era.” Collectively, the coverage suggests that while the services continue to publicize training and modernization, state media leverages such reporting to frame the PLA as simultaneously combat-ready, internationally cooperative, and firmly aligned with Party directives
