New TV series highlights ordinance disposal soldiers

New Generation, an anthology series, highlights the stories of people in military life that aren't usually featured -  Chinese explosive ordnance disposal specialist soldiers - in one of six standalone tales, producers said at a recent event in Beijing.

The TV series produced by Huace Media is now being aired on three satellite TV channels in Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen, as well as streamed on the popular sites iQiyi and Youku.

Titled EOD Elite, the third tale centers on an elite ordinance disposal soldier stationed in South China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. It follows the protagonist on a series of death-defying missions.

The show's cast members, including actress Xi Meijuan and actor Shawn Dou, paid a visit to the ceremonial brigade of the People's Liberation Army in Beijing on Sunday.

The producers said they conducted a lot of interviews to learn about bomb disposal. For example, the specialists have to undergo extremely harsh training, including being wrapped in 37-kilogram protective suits to run for a long distance, and practice using a robot arm to lift tomatoes to simualte delicate handling of bombs and provide training for acuity of the hands.

Actress Xi, who plays a soldier's mother, said she learned more about the devotion and dedication of military staff members' families and hopes the TV series serves as a tribute to Chinese soldiers and their families.