Enlisting college students helps improve the quality of the Chinese military, said the defense minister in a recent interview with major Chinese media outlets in Beijing.

In recent years, more and more college students have actively applied to enlist in the military, with 106,000 applying last year. Many of them were born in the 1980s and 1990s.

Commenting on the young soldiers, State Councilor, Minister of Defense and Member of the Central Military Commission Liang Guanglie said they have already grown to be the mainstay in the military with "well-done" performances.

"They dare to rush to the front line and are ready to risk everything at critical moments," Liang said.

Enlisted college students help improve the combat power of the military, which is now equipped with high-tech facilities and demands high-quality soldiers, said Liang.

"They can be the momentum for officers and soldiers coming from the grassroots to acquire new knowledge and learn to use new equipment," Liang said.

Enlistment of college students also benefits the long-term development of the nation, according to Liang.

Training in the military enhances college students' awareness of national defense and helps them grow to be backbones of society, said Liang, noting that the military is a "larger college" and "big melting pot" that can strengthen their willpower.

"When they go back into society, they are not only an important reserve forces for national defense, but can also become pillars in their walks of life," Liang said, pinning high hopes for their contribution to the country's economic and social development.

As for military personnel, Liang said the qualities of officers and soldiers have improved in recent years.

The percentage of military cadres with bachelor's degrees or above has increased to 80 percent now from 25 percent in 1998. Some cadres at the army and divisional levels even have PhD or master's degrees.

The sources of soldiers have also changed. "College students have injected vigor and vitality into the military camps," the defense minister said.

Liang also noted that during the past five years, the Chinese military has conducted exchanges and cooperated in personnel training with militaries from other nations.

The Chinese military has sent more than 1,200 cadets to military academies in more than 30 nations, and Chinese military academies have cultivated nearly 10,000 military students from more than 130 nations.