Female members of the guard of honor receive an inspection in Beijing, capital of China, on May 12, 2014. 

The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) used female soldiers as honor guards during a diplomatic ceremony for the first time in its history on May 12.

Thirteen female soldiers stood in the PLA's honor guard at the east gate of the Great Hall of the People. With their male comrades, they were addressed by Chinese President Xi Jinping and visiting Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov.

"I feel so proud and lucky," said Cheng Cheng, one of the female honor guards who served as PLA Air Force flag bearer.

"Not only do we represent the army, but also the motherland," Cheng added.

It was the first time female soldiers have been used in the PLA's honor guard in its 62-year-long history, and also the first time that they have served in a diplomatic ceremony, said Li Bentao, head of the honor guard.

The first group of female honor guards, 30 in total, were recruited in February and underwent intensive training for three months. The guards are above 1.73 meters tall, and 80 percent of them hold college degrees.

Liu Haiming, political commissar of the PLA honor guard, said female soldiers and officers are playing increasingly important roles in combat, training and other military missions.

The honor guard has left pleasant impression to foreign leaders since it was set up after the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1952.

Former U.S. President Richard Nixon paid a historic visit to China at the height of the cold war in 1972. He recalled his feeling of Chinese honor guard in his memoirs that they are the most outstanding honor guard who he had seen.

Actually as early as in 1946, the Communist Party of China (CPC) used to organized a honor guard to greet General George Marshall, special presidential envoy of Harry S. Truman.

On the morning of March 4, the leaders of the central government including Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, and Zhu De reviewed the honor guard with Marchall at Beijing Capital International Airport.

This is the first ceremonial activity for the CPC’s troops. And the traditional ceremonial form debuted on the political stage for the first time, as the symbol of both revolutionary regime and people's arm.

Honor guard has be the face of a country’s diplomacy. France attached great importance to the global high-level exchanges. And its honor guard was generally praised by the world.

Among the soldiers in its honor guard, it is not hard to find the female figure.

Besides, the honor guards of the U.S. and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea also accepted the female soldiers.

Female members of the guard of honor prepare for an inspection in Beijing, capital of China, on May 12, 2014.