On January 15 the People’s Armed Police staged a promotion ceremony in Beijing that elevated 35 enlisted personnel to the rank of yiji jingshi zhang — the top rung of the PAP’s non-commissioned officer ladder and a title colloquially rendered as “king of soldiers.” Photographs from the event showed new shoulder boards and a conspicuous array of military commendation medals on chests as the promoted NCOs returned salutes amid warm applause from colleagues.
The cohort was drawn from a mix of specialised units: aviation detachments that escort combat aircraft, shipboard electromechanical teams that maintain naval systems, and communications units that sustain information links. The ceremony was presented by state outlets as both a personal recognition of long service and an institutional move to deepen the PAP’s NCO corps — a backbone for technical competence and unit cohesion as the force modernises.
The People’s Armed Police sits at the intersection of domestic security, border defence and disaster response, and has been subject to sweeping reforms since its partial transfer under the Central Military Commission in 2018. Elevating and showcasing highly decorated NCOs is consistent with a broader push across Chinese security services to professionalise enlisted ranks, retain technical talent and harden loyalty to central leadership while emphasising “battle readiness.”
For international observers, the ceremony is small in scale but illustrative. Medals and rank promotions are a domestic morale tool; they are also a visible signal about priorities: technical specialisation, maintenance of critical platforms, and the cultivation of experienced NCOs who can lead at the tactical level in high-tempo operations. That matters because modern conflicts, and increasingly complex domestic contingencies, hinge on well-trained mid-level leaders who can integrate people and technology under stress.
The optics are also political. Publicising decorated, loyal NCOs reinforces a narrative of discipline and competence that helps Beijing manage perceptions at home and abroad. As the PAP continues to be central to internal stability operations and increasingly interoperable with the People’s Liberation Army in certain functions, attention to its human capital offers a window into China's long-term force-preparation strategy.
Operationally, the emphasis on aviation, shipboard mechanics and communications points to a modernisation trajectory: sustainment, networked command-and-control, and mobility rather than purely manpower expansion. Expect further investment in training pipelines, incentive structures for technical specialists, and public ceremonies that tie personal honours to state priorities as the PAP consolidates its role within China’s security architecture.