July 25, 2023

Your Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Dear Friends,

Good evening!

This year marks the 96th anniversary of the founding of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) of China. Thank you for joining us on this special occasion.

The PLA is the people's army forged by the Communist Party of China. Over the past 96 years, it has made indelible contribution to national independence, the liberation of the people and the prosperity of the country. It has provided unflinching support for safeguarding national sovereignty, security and development interests. It has also contributed significantly to world peace and stability.

Born and growing up amid the flames of conflict, and having witnessed the brutality of wars, the PLA deeply appreciates the value of peace. The development of China's national defense is always aimed to meet its legitimate security needs, and is always a boost to the force for peace in the world. History has and will continue to prove that China will never pursue hegemony even when it grows in strength. No matter how much it may achieve, China will never threaten others, or seek spheres of influence. China is firmly committed to a defense policy that is defensive in nature. This is determined by the Chinese cultural tradition, which sees peace as paramount. It is also determined by China's socialist system, its strategic choice of a path of peaceful development, and its independent foreign policy of peace.

The Taiwan question is at the very core of China's core interests. Taiwan is China's Taiwan. China must be and will be reunited. We will continue to strive for peaceful reunification with the greatest sincerity and the utmost effort, but we will not promise to renounce the use of force. Should there be any attempt to separate Taiwan from China, the Chinese military will resolutely safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity, undaunted by any force and ready to make necessary sacrifices.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Friends,

As part of our efforts to realize national modernization, we will continue to modernize military theory, organizational forms, personnel, and weaponry and equipment. We have a three-step plan for modernizing national defense and the military in the new era:

First, to achieve the goals for the centenary of the PLA by 2027, and enhance on all fronts the strategic capabilities for defending national sovereignty, security and development interests;

Second, to basically complete the modernization of national defense and the military by 2035;

Third, to elevate our people's armed forces to world-class standards by the mid of this century.

The dream of the Chinese people is closely connected with the dreams of peoples around the world. A peaceful, stable and prosperous China is an opportunity and blessing for the world.

Likewise, a strong Chinese military represents a staunch force for upholding world peace and stability, and for building a community with a shared future for mankind.

The Chinese military advocates common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, and pursues the greater good and shared interests. It has taken an active part in the reform of the global security governance system, and kept deepening bilateral and multilateral cooperation. It has also promoted coordination, inclusiveness, synergy and cooperation among different security mechanisms, and stood for a security architecture featuring equality, mutual trust, fairness and justice, which is built and shared by all.

The Chinese military has actively fulfilled its international responsibilities and obligations. Since the 1990s, it has regularly participated in peacekeeping missions, vessel escorting and humanitarian assistance operations across the globe. It has played a constructive role in the political settlement of hotspot issues, and jointly protected international passageways and combated global challenges such as terrorism, cybersecurity and major natural disasters, thus contributing to the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

Up to date, China has sent over 50,000 peacekeepers to more than 20 countries and regions to participate in UN operations. China is now the top contributor of peacekeepers among the P5, and the second largest contributor to the UN peacekeeping budget. We have dispatched 44 groups, including a total of over 130 naval vessels, to conduct escort missions in the Gulf of Aden and off the Somali coast, which have protected more than 7,000 Chinese and foreign ships so far. No matter how the international landscape may evolve, China will always be a builder of world peace, a contributor to global development, and a champion of the international order. And the PLA will always be a force of justice in promoting world peace and development.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Friends,

The world today is far from tranquil. Security challenges abound: political turmoil, armed conflicts, terrorism, natural disasters, energy and food crises, to name only a few. Neither the Cold War mentality nor unilateralism or bloc confrontation is the way out. Any expansion of military blocs left over from the Cold War would only make things worse.

So what is China's answer to the international security dilemma? It is best encapsulated in the Global Security Initiative (GSI) put forward by President Xi Jinping. The GSI calls for adapting to the profoundly changing international landscape in a spirit of solidarity, and addressing the complex and intertwined security challenges with a win-win mindset. It is aimed to eliminate the root causes of international conflicts and improve global governance, and bring the international community together to inject more stability and certainty into this turbulent world, so as to realize lasting peace and development. The PLA will do its utmost to maintain international peace and security, and promote global development and prosperity in accordance with the instructions of President Xi.

President Xi Jinping pointed out that the world needs a generally stable China-U.S. relationship, and whether the two countries can find the right way to get along bears on the future of humanity. Our two countries need to make joint efforts to stabilize and improve bilateral relations under the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation. Mil-to-mil relations are an important part of the bilateral relationship, and a stable mil-to-mil relationship is vital to stable bilateral relations. China attaches importance to developing state-to-state and mil-to-mil relations with the United States and to conducting communication at various levels. We hope that the U.S. side will take concrete actions to demonstrate sincerity, remove obstacles, manage differences, and properly handle major issues concerning China's sovereignty, security and development interests. We hope the U.S. will work together with China to act on the common understanding between our Presidents, and jointly promote the sound and stable development of the relations between the two countries and two militaries.

Now, please join me in a toast:

To the 96th anniversary of the PL A;

To the sound and stable development of China-U.S. relations; And to world peace,

Cheers!