Yong Ronglan (second from left), a sailor from the Xibe ethnic group, takes part in physical training on the Changbaishan, an amphibian landing craft of the Chinese navy. Gan Jun / for China Daily

Personal development

E Teng, a Mongolian woman who also hails from Bole, has also benefited from the disciplined naval lifestyle.

"I didn't like restrictions and regulations before I joined the navy, so it took me quite some time to get used to the rigorous discipline of the PLA. Now I am a competent servicewoman," the 22-year-old said.

"I am the youngest child in my family, so my parents pampered me a lot," she added. "But my father didn't think I was able to do anything remarkable, and that spurred me to prove myself."

It was the drive to prove herself capable that helped her pass through rounds of tests, and she outperformed nearly 2,000 women in Urumqi who competed for 12 naval posts.

She signed up with the military in 2012 right after receiving an associate degree in finance from a vocational college in Urumqi, capital of Xinjiang.

When asked by draft officers whether she wanted to stay in Xinjiang or serve at sea, she answered: "My grandpa was a soldier in the army, and my dad was a paratrooper with the air force, so I am going to be a sailor with the navy."