The Chinese Embassy in the Netherlands held a reception
to celebrate the 96th anniversary of the founding of
the People’s Liberation Army of China
On July 27, 2023, the Chinese Embassy in the Netherlands held a reception to celebrate the 96th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China. Around 280 guests joined the reception, including Mr. Geert Kuiper, Director of Strategy, Knowledge and Innovation Directorate of the Dutch Ministry of defense, Mrs. Gerrie Willems, Acting Director of the Asia and Oceania Department of Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, officers and officials from Dutch government and international organizations, ambassadors and defense attachés of various countries, as well as friends from different sectors.Ambassador TAN Jian, Defense Attaché Senior Colonel ZHANG Lu had extensive exchange of views and interactions with the participating guests.
Ambassador TAN Jian pointed out that over the past 96 years, under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, the People’s Liberation Army has made great sacrifice in defiance of the dangers of war and various obstacles and challenges, achieved tremendous victories in advancing the dignity, prosperity and strength of the Chinese people, and made important contributions to world peace, prosperity and development. Amid the momentous shifts where uncertainty abounds, President Xi Jinping put forward the vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind, and went on to propose the Global Development Initiative (GDI), the Global Security Initiative (GSI) and Global Civilization Initiative (GCI). These initiatives are China’s proposals for global development and governance, and have been warmly received by the international community. China is firmly committed to the path of peaceful development and takes a defense policy that is defensive in nature. The Chinese army is a force for peace. Maintaining the stability and development of military-to-military relations is important to China-Netherlands relations. It is hoped that the two sides will make joint efforts to strengthen communications and advance cooperation in areas of shared interest, so as to contribute to enhancement of the open and pragmatic partnership for comprehensive cooperation between China and the Netherlands.
Senior Colonel ZHANG Lusaid that the People’s Liberation Army of China is the people’s army founded and led by the Communist Party of China. It comes from the people and serves the people. It has always been a heroic army that the party and the people can trust. Guided by Xi Jinping thought on strengthening the military, China’s national defense and military development in the new era has made historical reforms and achievements, and the PLA has been through all-round revolutionary restructuring. The PLA faithfully implements the vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind and the Global Security Initiative (GSI). The socialist system of China, the strategic decision to follow the path of peaceful development, the independent foreign policy of peace, and the best of cultural traditions - considering peace and harmony as fundamentals - determine that China will pursue a national defense policy that is defensive in nature. China is always a builder of world peace, contributor to global development, defender of the international order and provider of public goods. The Chinese military has always been a staunch force for world peace.
Videos showing the active participation of the Chinese military in the Global Security Initiative and pictures reflecting the achievements of national defense and the armed forces construction in the new era were displayed during the reception. The guests extended warm congratulations on the 96th anniversary of the founding of the PLA and spoke highly of the great contribution of Chinese military in maintaining world peace. Theyalso expressed their best wishes for the sound and stable development of the relations between China and the Netherlands and the two militaries.