In 2011, the PLA navy recruited 20 female Uygurs for the first time in its history. Three of the women were deployed on the Chinese hospital ship Peace Ark, which was on a 124-day voyage around South Asia, providing free medical services.
China Daily reporter Peng Yining was on board the ship and brought stories of three sailor girls from Xinjiang Uygurs autonomous region.
See the stories and pictures she brought from the vessel here.
Written & Video By Peng Yining
Editing: Peng Yining and D J Clark
Producer Flora Yue