Realistic war games cure 'peace disease'

Kuang Mengzhao, a 22-year-old soldier, sports a Mohawk but sounds like a battle-hardened veteran when he speaks of national security and the army's duty.

"Just because you're living in peacetime doesn't mean the world is peaceful. There are often military movements in neighboring countries and regions," he said.

The son of a small-business owner in Xinning county, Hunan province, Kuang is keen on singing pop songs such as Dream Chaser. One of the love song's lyrics - "The blue sky in my heart is where life begins" - has personal significance for him.