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Sentinels on duty at Qianhai Stone Park. Photo by Qian Cheng

During the dog days of summer, Qianhai in Shenzhen is filled with red flowers and green leaves, and is crowded with tourists.

Under the scorching sun, the reporter walked through Qianhai Stone Park and came to a white and green iron guard booth, where he saw Sergeant Huang Jianqing and Corporal Xu Fan from a certain squadron of the Shenzhen Second Detachment of the Guangdong Provincial Armed Police Corps, who were on duty. They were fully armed and in high spirits, and were closely monitoring the social situation in the mission area through the duty information system.

This special outpost is located in Qianhai, Shenzhen, a "special zone within a special zone".

On December 7, 2012, less than a month after the closing of the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, President Xi Jinping came to Guangdong, which was "a pioneer" in reform and opening up, and his first stop was here.

During the inspection, President Xi called for "uninterrupted reform and unstoppable opening up", raising the banner of reform and opening up in the new era. Over the years, Qianhai has changed year by year, from a "barren beach" to a "treasure pot".

Huang Jianqing, who serves as the chief sentry, is the soldier who has been on duty in Qianhai for the longest time in the squadron and has witnessed the changes that have taken place here.

Like Huang Jianqing, successive generations of officers and soldiers have worked day and night and shed sweat on this hot land, realizing the value of life and blooming the brilliance of youth in guarding the construction of the Special Administrative Region.

After a period of fixed-point guard, the two sentinels' faces were covered with sweat. After they were ready, according to the instructions of the squadron duty room, the two sentinels set out on patrol together, and the reporter followed the team for an interview.

The patrol road is located in the open seaside park. During the summer vacation, the reporter saw that there was an endless stream of tourists from other places coming to visit and have fun. Many citizens brought their families to enjoy the comfort of life in this picturesque scenic area.

The reporter stood beside a huge rock with the words "Qianhai" engraved on it and looked into the distance. On one side was the flying rainbow-like cross-sea and riverside expressway, and on the other side were rows of skyscrapers. The modernity and prosperity of the city were in full view.

"It's hard to imagine that this place was just a mudflat many years ago." Huang Jianqing's memory of Qianhai is far more than what the reporter sees now.

"The most intuitive feeling is the change in the road." Pointing to the smooth asphalt road under his feet, Huang Jianqing told reporters that the patrol post usually lasts two hours, and the sentry's feet "have the most say" in whether the road is easy to walk on.

Many years ago, Huang Jianqing had just arrived in Qianhai. The first step he took when he got off the car was into a mud pit. Looking closely, he saw a tidal flat and muddy roads everywhere. His comrade pointed to a few blue and white iron houses in the distance and told him: That was the dormitory for the officers and soldiers.

"Covered in mud on rainy days and covered in dust on sunny days" was Huang Jianqing's initial impression of Qianhai.

The patrol route along the seashore was originally just a dirt road, almost entirely made of gravel and yellow mud. The vehicles used to deliver patrols were bumpy and difficult to drive, and they were particularly prone to slipping on rainy days. The squadron had more vehicle maintenance each year than any other unit.

"The harder it is, the more we must persevere." An old soldier encouraged Huang Jianqing, who had just arrived. "The place where we are stationed has another name - Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone. I believe that the future of Qianhai must be very bright."

"Initially, conditions were limited, and a platoon of soldiers were all crammed into a tin-sheet house." Huang Jianqing still remembers the scene a few years ago. "Shenzhen has a long summer. As long as the sun comes out, the room is like a big steamer, and clothes are always sweaty."

After walking the patrol route several times, Huang Jianqing discovered that the nearby construction sites were working intensively every day and the surrounding area was "changing every day."

After a lot of hard work, a new picture was drawn on a blank sheet of paper. From no street lights to the lighted Ferris wheel, from the previous muddy road to the current smooth patrol road, the environment around the camp is getting better and better, high-rise buildings are springing up like mushrooms after rain, and a park has been built on a busy construction site. In addition to the park, the squadron's camp is also being upgraded and renovated. The physical defense facilities of each sentry post are gradually improved, and the information system ensures that officers and soldiers can work together at any time.

Liao Gaohua, the squadron's instructor, told reporters that with the gradual implementation of institutional adjustments, team structure optimization, and infrastructure improvement work, the construction of the troops has entered the "fast lane" along with Qianhai's take-off.

Although the conditions have improved and the road is easier to travel, Huang Jianqing and his comrades' original intentions have never changed.

"Although we can only spend most of our time on sentry posts and patrols, when I think about the fact that people can enjoy a happy and peaceful life because of our protection, I feel that all our efforts are worthwhile," said Huang Jianqing.

Near noon, the patrol road was filled with hot air, making it difficult for the reporter to breathe. The two sentinels were already sweating profusely, but they held their heads high and did not slack off. Huang Jianqing said: "Wet clothes can be washed, but the good image of Chinese soldiers must be maintained at all times!"

After following the entire sentry shift, the reporter, who was soaked all over, returned to the squadron camp with two sentries and met Corporal Luo Miao who was about to go on sentry duty. His face was tanned and reddish due to long-term outdoor sentry duty. When he opened his mouth, his white teeth were exposed, which formed a sharp contrast with his face.

Luo Miao, who joined the army in 2019, was one of the first batch of recruits to join the brigade after the reform and transfer. Not long after he joined the company, the squadron moved into the new barracks.

Luo Miao told reporters that he was lucky and happy to be able to stand guard in the squadron, not only because he lived in a new barracks, but also because he had a new understanding of the land under his feet.

Before joining the army, Luo Miao had read about the rapid development of Qianhai in news reports. Unexpectedly, he was fortunately assigned to Qianhai after joining the army, serving at the "front line of reform". When he went out on weekends, he always liked to go to Qianhai Stone Park to feel the "heartbeat of the front line of reform". Residents nearby told him that in recent years, as the reform and development of Qianhai continued to accelerate, many young people from Hong Kong came here to start businesses.

"Nowadays, 'Go to Qianhai' has become a popular phrase among many aspiring young people in Hong Kong," Luo Miao told reporters. "Every time I hear this phrase, I feel that what I am protecting every day is not only Qianhai in Shenzhen, but also a hot land for young people in the motherland to realize their dreams!"

Walking up to the sentry post, the young sentry was more energetic. Looking from the sentry post, Luo Miao still saw a huge flow of people in front of him. Although the two-hour duty was not easy, Luo Miao felt that "everything was worth it" because he seemed to see a brighter future for Qianhai from the bright smiles on the faces of the tourists. (Zhu Chengeng, reporter of this newspaper, Chen Dianhong, special correspondent Liao Binhua)

(China Military Network)