Han Hong performs for air force soldiers stationed in the Tibet autonomous region at a charity performance. [Photo/China Daily]

A growing number of soldiers-cum-singers have been going from troops to troupes, with salutes from the charts. Tibetan singer-songwriter Han Hong is one of them.

Mainland military singers have been marching toward the top in the pop charts, earning salutes from fans in a scene otherwise dominated by bubblegum bards from Taiwan and Hong Kong. Since the mid-2000s, most have gotten their breaks on TV talent shows, on which they perform folksy and patriotic anthems. Such is the story of Han Hong, who recently started her 2012 world tour Beautiful World with a performance at Beijing's MasterCard Center.

The 40-year-old, whose mother is a Tibetan singer, earned acclaim for her performances of such songs as Tibetan Plateau and Heaven's Road.

Han joined the army as a teenager and won a singing contest, which earned the attention of famous Chinese military singer Li Shuangjiang. Han joined the Cultural Troupe of the Air Force of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and became a professional singer.

She received training toward her goal of becoming a singer-songwriter from the troupe.

"I've always been grateful to the army for giving me the chance to sing onstage," Han says.