July 10 marks the start of the 100-day countdown for the 7th Military World Games, also known as the Military Olympics, which is hosted by China for the first time.

From the battlefield to the sporting arena, more than 10,000 military officials from over 100 countries will compete in 27 different sports from October 18-27.

They will gather in the central Chinese city of Wuhan under the theme"Military Glory and World Peace."

"We will greet global participants with friendliness," Senior Colonel Guo Jianzhong, secretary general of the 7th International Military Sports Council (CISM) Military Games Executive Commission told a State Council Information Office briefing on Tuesday. "Among the 105 countries who have signed up for the games, some are perennial powerhouses in military sports. This gives us both pressure and motivation. It's a great opportunity to enhance military exchanges and expand our 'circle of friends'." 

As the capital city of Hubei Province and a major port on the Yangtze River, Wuhan won the bid for the games in 2015. Local authorities said the grand event is also making the city more vibrant. 

"Up to now, the construction of 35 venues has been fully completed; 17 venues were renovated on existing facilities. They will be open for sustainable use after the Games… The construction was acclaimed by the International Military Sports Council as the Chinese speed. We’ve also been upgrading Wuhan’s environment and infrastructure in the process," said Hu Yabo, vice mayor of Wuhan.

Held every four years, the games have distinctive military features. Organizers said the public will have access to tickets for all sporting events this time. And they stressed another key aspect of this game – clean and fair play.

"We only want clean and honest results, no doping-tainted gold medals. We'll step up efforts in publicity and education, conduct strict self-discipline and resolutely prevent any conduct or discipline-related scandals," added Senior Colonel Guo.

The games will be held October 18-27, right after the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China in October. So, for the host country, China, it is also a prime time to showcase the strength and openness of its military after decades of development.