Language as a weapon? PLA academics push for training overhaul, cite Ukraine war

Digitised battlefields demand new breed of soldier, as skilled at data analysis and psy-ops as at wielding a weapon, veteran instructor says

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Coordinated push from military academics reflects a broader recognition within China’s defence establishment as the People’s Liberation Army’s global footprint expands. Photo: Reuters

Published: 9:00am, 3 Mar 2026

Chinese military academics have stepped up calls to overhaul defence language training, arguing that linguistic proficiency has become as critical as firepower in modern warfare – a lesson starkly underscored by the Ukraine war.

Among them is Lu Danyun, a professor at the military-affiliated National University of Defence Technology and a representative on China’s top lawmaking body, the National People’s Congress.

In a report published in the official People’s Liberation Army (PLA) newspaper, Lu said she planned to submit proposals addressing the issue at the coming “two sessions” political gathering.

Delegates are expected to gather in Beijing this week for the annual legislative and advisory meetings, which this year will see the central government roll out its latest five-year plan – covering 2026 to 2030 – and map out a blueprint for all sectors over that period.

According to the article published last Wednesday in the official PLA Daily, Lu argued that the digitised battlefields of the 21st century demanded a new breed of soldier, as adept at data analysis and psychological operations as at handling a weapon.

A recent paper notes that modern warfare has transformed language from a mere communication tool into a critical instrument for intelligence gathering, information warfare and shaping global opinion. Photo: Xinhua

Lu, from the university’s College of International Studies, has been a military academy instructor for more than three decades. She has researched military foreign language capability development and built a national defence language curriculum system.

Language as a weapon? PLA academics push for training overhaul, cite Ukraine war

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Digitised battlefields demand new breed of soldier, as skilled at data analysis and psy-ops as at wielding a weapon, veteran instructor says

Digitised battlefields demand new breed of soldier, as skilled at data analysis and psy-ops as at wielding a weapon, veteran instructor says