Sina Weibo post of the Hong Kong Garrison of the Chinese People's Liberation Army. Photo: Sina Weibo

The Hong Kong Garrison of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) attracted special attention during China's latest "from 2017 to 2019" social media challenge, after it posted its soldiers' before-and-after army photos online. 

The garrison posted photos of nine groups of soldiers, wearing casual cloths and military uniforms, on Chinese Twitter-like social platform Sina Weibo on Wednesday. The caption read "You were just a good-looking young boy or girl in your hometown in 2017, and you joined the army in 2019. The uniform not only makes you look valiant; it also represents your mission and responsibility. Understand, soldiers?"

The post follows a latest social media trend in China labeled "from 2017 to 2019," which attracted many netizens to post photos showing the changes they experienced over the past two years. 

For the PLA Garrison, 2017 is a special year. Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and chairman of the Central Military Commission, inspected the garrison on June 30, 2017, on the eve of the 20th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to China. 

The garrison's social media posts also won support from netizens who said they were the most impressive posts they had ever seen during the challenge. "Look at those young faces, they are covered in mud and sweat in order to protect the country's dignity. They are the most adorable people," wrote a Sina Weibo user. 

Netizens also expressed their gratitude to the garrison for being the magic cudgel of Hong Kong's prosperity and stability. "It's been 22 years. Thank you PLA Hong Kong Garrison, for safeguarding Hong Kong," wrote another netizen. 

Global Times