China's Navy begins teen aviation trainee selection

BEIJING, March 30 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy has started selecting graduates from junior high schools in 14 provincial-level regions for its teen aviator program, China Daily reported Thursday.

The selection process, involving approximately 4,500 qualified applicants, began in late March in Henan, Shandong, Hubei, Jiangxi and Chongqing, among other regions, the report stated, citing the flight student recruitment office of the PLA Navy.

The initiative, inaugurated in 2015 with the approval of the PLA Navy and the Ministry of Education, aims to attract students who are interested in aviation and are qualified for military flight, the report stated, adding that a talent pool will be created for the PLA Navy's shipborne aviation units.

Applicants for this year's teen aviator program should be born between Aug. 31, 2006 and Aug. 31, 2009, with a height between 162 and 181 centimeters, according to the news report.

After passing all rounds of the selection process, dozens of applicants will be enrolled in the program at a partnering high school in each of the 14 provincial-level regions, the recruitment office said.

Throughout the three-year program, students will undergo comprehensive training on naval and flight expertise and will be treated as military cadets, the report stated.

It added that those who pass the necessary tests after three years will be admitted to naval aviation academies or some of China's top universities that collaborate with the PLA Navy for pilot training.