The grand parade on Sunday demonstrated the military’s resolute loyalty to the Communist Party of China (CPC), who is determined to build a strong army.

President Xi Jinping reviewed the armed forces Sunday morning as part of the commemorations to mark the 90th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), which falls on Aug. 1.

More than 12,000 service personnel from the army, navy, air force, armed police as well as the newly formed rocket force and strategic support troops, took part in the parade at Zhurihe military training base in north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

“The PLA has the confidence and capability to defeat all invading enemies and safeguard China’s national sovereignty, security and development interests,” said Xi, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC).

In his speech, Xi reviewed the PLA’s glorious history of development, and urged to build the PLA into a world-class military under new circumstances.

One of the major reasons that China suffered repeated oppression, humiliation and invasions in modern history was the lack of a strong army.

Ninety years ago, the people’s army was founded in the August 1 Nanchang Uprising (1927), which marked the beginning of the CPC’s independent leadership of the revolutionary war.

During the past 90 years, the PLA has been following the absolute leadership of the CPC, whole-heartedly serving the people, and has made outstanding meritorious deeds for the nation.

Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core, has embarked on a new journey to build strong armed forces. The PLA has undergone bold, active and prudent reforms.

The military reform has achieved historic breakthroughs in many major fields. Restructuring of the military forces has mapped out a brand new look for the PLA, boosted the development of military industries, and laid a solid foundation for the modernization of China’s national defense and the PLA.

The parade fully demonstrates the effectiveness of President Xi’s strategic thinking of military reforms with the objective of building a strong army. It is also an effective way to test the advantages and functioning of the new system and formation of Chinese armed forces.

Today, China is closer than ever to the goal of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and needs to build a strong people’s army more than any other time in history.

The PLA must fully implement the CPC’s thoughts on building a strong army, follow the path of strengthening the army with Chinese characteristics, and build the PLA into a world-class military.

The heroic PLA will keep forging ahead following the leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as its core, and create brilliant achievements on the journey of building a strong army.

The military is determined to make greater contributions to achieving the two centenary goals, realize the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and better maintain world peace.

Source: Xinhua