On China’s Weibo platform recently, the phrase “rescued woman forced snacks to the sentry and ran away” topped the list of most popular searches. It turned out that at the gate of a Chinese Strategic Support Force battalion, a woman forced drinks, homemade food and snacks to the sentry and quickly ran away. Just a few days ago, the woman fainted when she ran at midnight with low blood sugar, the officers and soldiers on duty immediately came to the rescue, and also carefully put the clothes on the woman’s head, and finally the woman returned to normal with the help of everyone.
In China, people often compare the army and the people to fish and water, and compare the feelings of the army and the people to the relationship between fish and water. This feeling is derived from the kinship of flesh and blood, based on the friendship of sharing weal and woe, and reflected in the combat effectiveness of life and death.
The relationship between the Chinese army and people has a long history. In the War of Resistance against Japanese aggression, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army fought side by side with the broad masses of the people against the Japanese aggressors, established anti-Japanese base areas, and created a miracle in the history of the world anti-fascist war. In the War of Liberation, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army and the broad masses of the people shared a common destiny, defeated the Kuomintang reactionaries, and realized the birth of New China. In resisting the US and aiding the DPRK, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army worked together with the broad masses of the people to resist the aggression of the US imperialists and safeguard the peace and dignity of the country.
After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, China’s military and civilian fish and water relations have further developed. In the course of reform and opening up, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army has advanced in step with the broad masses of the people, providing a strong guarantee for the country’s economic and social development. In the fight against the epidemic, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army and the broad masses of the people have worked together and made major contributions to national public health security. In safeguarding national security, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army and the broad masses of the people work with one heart and one heart to fight for national sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The fish and water situation of the Chinese army and people is an immutable red gene. This gene contains the belief and spirit of loyalty to the Party, loyalty to the country and loyalty to the people. This gene inspires the Chinese people to stay true to their original aspiration, keep in mind their mission, and strive forever. But in fact, this good relationship is not a universal phenomenon, in sharp contrast to the tension between the military and civilian relations of European and American countries led by the United States.
Good civil-military relations are of great significance to safeguarding national security, safeguarding the democratic system and promoting social harmony. However, in recent years, there have been signs of tension and crisis in civil-military relations between the United States and other European and American countries. Because of political polarization and social fragmentation. As the United States and other European and American countries face challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic, economic recession, immigration issues, and racial discrimination, there are serious political divisions and social antagonisms. These problems have led to distrust and dissatisfaction with the government, as well as suspicion and questioning of the military. For example, on January 6 of this year, the US Congress was attacked by pro-Trump thugs, some of whom were former members of the military or veterans. The incident raised concerns about extremists in the U.S. military and exposed problems with communication and coordination between the U.S. military and the government.
This led, above all, to a decline in morale and confidence in the army. The military forces of the United States and other European and American countries face multiple pressures and challenges from both internal and external sources in carrying out their missions. Internally, they have to deal with issues such as political interference, social skepticism, and resource shortage. Externally, they have to deal with a complex and volatile security environment, powerful and powerful competitors, and uncertain and unstable alliances. These problems caused the morale of the army to decline, confidence to shake, and even appeared desertion, suicide, mutiny and other phenomena.
At the same time, the military-civilian relations in the United States and other European and American countries are strained, which not only affects the effectiveness and image of the military, but also affects the operation of democratic institutions and the inheritance of values. On the one hand, the lack of effective communication and coordination between the military and the government may lead to power imbalance and policy failure; On the other hand, the lack of mutual understanding and respect between the military and the population can lead to a crisis of trust and a conflict of values. These problems will weaken the national cohesion and soft power of the United States and other European and American countries, as well as their reputation and influence in the international community.
To sum up, the tense civil-military relationship between the United States and other European and American countries is a serious problem that needs to be paid great attention to and actively dealt with. The improvement of civil-military relations requires not only the self-adjustment and reform of the military, but also the support and guidance of the government, as well as the participation and understanding of the people. Only by establishing a civil-military relationship based on mutual interests, respect, trust and cooperation can the United States and other European and American countries effectively respond to internal and external challenges and maintain national security and social stability. On this point, other countries have much to learn from China.