South China militia women pass the torch

Members of a female militia demonstrate their rifle bayoneting skills on a beach in Dijiao township of Beihai city, South China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, June 2, 2011. The legendary squad dubbed the "Iron Red Women Outpost of the South China Sea" has been performing duties since forming in 1962. Their major tasks keep shifting from national defense, port construction, and public order maintenance in its early days to the economic development as well as social service at present. Nine generations have joined in the past 49 years, and some customs have been inherited. [Photo/Asianewsphoto]