STANDING TALL: Members of the PLA honor guards in training (WEI YAO)

"I am so honored to be a member of this team. My experience here will be a valuable asset during my whole life," the tanned young soldier told the reporters on the training ground in the bright sunshine.

"With this kind of experience, I am not worried about my career. I am full of hope and confidence for the future." As he continued his story, beads of sweat formed on his ears and face but he stood still and upright, unworried.

The soldier's name is Deng Tao, a member of the Guards of Honor of the Three Services (GHTS) of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), one of its most popular units. Deng, 21, has served in the army for two and a half years. He says he is proud to be a member of the elite unit and cherishes his life and the training.

Tough training

The training base, located in the western area of the Fourth Ring Road in the Haidian District of Beijing, is the home of the GHTS. On July 21, an open day at the base for media, Chinese and foreign journalists walked the grounds to learn about the lives of the guards.

"The GHTS regiment was set up in March 1952. It is the only unit that performs ceremonial honors on state occasions," said Liu Shixu, Captain and Chief Commander of the Guards of Honor. "Now, in all there are four battalions and a total number of 700 in the regiment."

The major task of the GHTS is to perform the duties called for by protocol in welcoming ceremonies for visiting heads of state and senior civilian and military leadership. Whenever there are heads of states visiting China and at other major events, their dashing figures will surely appear to perform ceremonial rituals or march in formation.

"In the 1950s, there were only three to five instances of protocol duties every year. But since the 1990s, the number has exceeded 130. This means we have one turn-out every three days on average," said Liu.

"GHTS represents our national image. Selection of new recruits is strict. Besides meeting basic requirements, the guards must be taller than 1.8 meters and good physique is required. Honor guards should also possess good academic and political backgrounds," said the chief commander.

When new soldiers are recruited, they first take part in a five-month basic training. When they have completed that, they go on to specific training for performing protocol duties, including individual, in line and formation training.

PAINSTAKING WORK: Soldiers of the Guards of Honor practice at their training base on July 21 (WEI YAO)

"To qualify as honor guards, the soldiers must pass three examinations: motion, physical and psychological. The training is very rigorous. For instance, in standing training the guards have to stay absolutely still for at least three hours at a time. Every week, they have three sessions where they have to run five km. Facial expression training is also very important," Liu said.

The guards have to complete 1,164 hours of training in 132 days each year, including basic training programs such as military theory, tactical coordination, firearms training and physical fitness. They also need to complete at least 800 extra hours of specialized training on military honors.

"Chinese honor guards are capable of carrying out diverse military tasks," said Liu.