Grand reception held to mark the 78th founding anniversary of People's Liberation Army

China's Ministry of National Defense held a grand reception in the Great Hall of the People Sunday in Beijing to mark the 78th anniversary of the founding of the People's Liberation Army (PLA).

Addressing the reception, Defense Minister Cao Gangchuan said the PLA had, over the past year, implemented the important thought of "Three Represents" in an earnest way and scored remarkable achievements in revolutionizing and modernizing itself.

Cao, also vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission and state councilor, said the PLA would steadfastly adhere to the fundamental principle that PLA is under the absolute leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC) with Hu Jintao, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, at the core.

Cao said China is in the key period of constructing a well-off society and facilitating its socialist modernization process. He called for all the officers and soldiers to actively promote military reform with Chinese characteristics, enhance the capabilities of dealing with crisis and maintaining peace, and safeguard the country's sovereignty, security and territorial integrity.

He said that this year marks the 60th anniversary of victory of the world anti-fascist war and the War Against Japanese Aggression. The victory of the Chinese people fully demonstrates their patriotism and heroism.

Although peace and development remained the themes of the time, he said, China had to be always well-prepared to counter various challenges as the international situation was complex and changeable and unstable factors existed.

China's Ministry of National Defense held a grand reception in the Great Hall of the People July 31 in Beijing to mark the 78th anniversary of the founding of the People's Liberation Army (PLA).

Cao said the Chinese people always love peace and treasure harmony. China sticks to an independent foreign policy of peace and a defensive policy of national defense.

"We are willing to develop friendly cooperative ties with peoples and armed forces around the world on the basis of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, and promote common development," he said.

On the Taiwan issue, Cao said, maintaining peace and stability across the Straits and realize China's reunification cause is a common aspiration of all the Chinese people.

He said the country will firmly adhere to the proposals that Hu Jintao made on developing cross-Straits relations, and strive for the peaceful reunification of the motherland with utmost sincerity and efforts.

"We will never allow anybody to separate Taiwan from China in any excuse and form," he said.

Also attending the reception were leading officials of Party, government and military departments, veterans, representatives of the Beijing militia, and military attaches of foreign embassies in Beijing.

Source: Xinhua