Summer camps

In addition to the open house, the Macao Garrison holds regular summer camps and flag-bearer training sessions.

According to garrison statistics, the base has hosted 15 summer camps for students from local middle schools and three for university students.

Officers and soldiers have helped Macau University of Science and Technology, the University of Macau and four other universities establish national flag-bearer teams, and have also trained more than 3,000 flag bearers for about 60 local schools.

This year's flag-bearer training session had more than 260 participants from 30 middle schools in Macao, the garrison said in a statement.

Zhang Zhixing, political instructor of Song's company, said the students are enthusiastic and attentive in flag-bearer training because they consider it an honor to carry and raise the national flag.

Song said, "The garrison wants to use the summer camps and training sessions to help students learn about the PLA and also to strengthen their familiarity with the military."

The students wear PLA uniforms and stay at military bases for about 10 days. They learn how to act like soldiers and are given the chance to fire live rounds from assault rifles, according to Song.

"We also take them to visit big businesses and museums in Zhuhai to help them gain more knowledge about the (Chinese) mainland," he added.

He said that before the students are sent back to their schools, the garrison usually makes a survey of their thoughts and feelings. "Most said the experience let them know about the real lives of our soldiers and their contribution to the city," he said.

Soldier Zhang Yan, a native of the eastern province of Shandong, regards Macao as his second hometown.

"I've spent eight years in Macao. Many elderly people here don't speak Mandarin, and some don't even understand it," he said. "However I can always tell that they feel friendly toward us by the expression on their faces or in their eyes."

In his first years of service in Macao, it was common to find a few stores where the staff members could not speak Mandarin.

"It is now very difficult for me to find a local store without any Mandarin-speaking employees. Now, some salespeople speak better Mandarin than I do," he said. "I feel very fortunate to witness mainland-Macao ties becoming closer every day."