At the end of March, dozens of People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force (PLARF) Missile Brigade Commandersi competed in a new six-day competition assessment called Jianfeng (剑锋) 2021 at the Rocket Force Command Collegeii in Wuhan. Although the Jianfeng 2021 (JF 2021) competition on the surface is nothing new due to constant training, competition, and testing in the PLA, both the coverage itself and the sheer volume of articles and videos posted about the event provide some key insights. This paper will provide a general overview of the competition, examine the competition in the broader context of PLA reform under Xi Jinping, assess the role of joint operations, and explore the possible narrative the PLA wanted to convey with coverage of the event.
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