August 1 this year marks the 98th anniversary of the founding of the People's Liberation Army of China. Over the past 98 years, under the strong leadership of the Communist Party of China, the Chinese People's Liberation Army has steadily risen and grown stronger, achieved one victory after another in the Agrarian Revolutionary War, the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, and the War of Liberation, making great contributions to national independence, the liberation of the people, and the prosperity of the country. Entering the new era, the Chinese People's Liberation Army has thoroughly applied Xi Jinping's thought of strengthening the military and deepened military reforms, providing reliable security guarantees for the country's reform, development, and stability. Chinese People's Liberation Army will continue to modernize its military theory, organizational forms, personnel, weaponry and equipment, achieve basic modernization of its national defense and military by 2035, and build a world-class military by the middle of this century.
This year also marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti Fascist War. From 1931 to 1945, Chinese soldiers and civilians fought a bitter and bloody struggle for 14 long years, suffering more than 35 million casualties before winning the victory. During the war, with huge national sacrifice, the Chinese people held ground in the main theater in the East of the World Anti-Fascist War, thus making major contribution to its victory. In their war against Japanese aggression, the Chinese people received extensive support from the international community. The Chinese people will always remember what the people of other countries did for the victory of their War of Resistance.
As a famous Chinese saying goes, "The past, if not forgotten, can serve as a guide for the future." We remember history not only to draw lessons from it, but also cherish the hard-won peace. As a responsible and peace-loving country, China has not only made historic contributions to the global victory over fascism, but will continue to contribute to safeguarding world peace and promoting common development. Today, our world is changing in ways like never before, and the international community is confronted with multiple risks and challenges. Regional security hot-spots keep flaring up, local conflicts and turbulence occur frequently, unilateralism and protectionism have risen significantly. Once again, the world is at a historic crossroads.
To uphold peace, we should foster a strong sense of a community with a shared future for mankind. We should respect each other, coexist in equality, pursue peaceful development, and share prosperity. All countries should jointly uphold the international order and system underpinned by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, build a new type of international relations featuring win-win cooperation, and advance world peace and development. China remains unwaveringly committed to the path of peaceful development and will continue to pursue a national defense policy that is defensive in nature for the sake of peace. No matter how much it develops, China will never seek hegemony, expansion, or spheres of influence.
The Chinese People's Liberation Army is a peace-loving military that has always been a staunch force in maintaining world peace and stability. The PLA faithfully adheres to the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind, fully implements the Global Security Initiative, actively fulfills its duties to maintain world peace. In the past 35 years, China has sent more than 50,000 peacekeepers to participate in UN peacekeeping operations. As the largest troop contributor among the permanent members of the UN Security Council and the second largest financial contributor to UN peacekeeping, China earnestly fulfills its international obligations. It maintains an 8,000 standby peacekeeping force, and currently has nearly 1,800 peacekeepers performing duties in seven mission areas. International waterways are the arteries of the global economy, and their security is crucial to global development and stability. In line with relevant UN Security Council resolutions, the Chinese military has deployed naval ships to conduct escort operations in the Gulf of Aden and the waters off the coast of Somalia. As of May 2025, the Chinese military has provided protection for over 1600 batches of ships of various countries and rescued nearly 100 vessels of various types. The Chinese military has actively participated in international disaster relief and humanitarian aid, dispatched professional teams to disaster-affected countries, provided relief materials and medical assistance to disaster area. The Chinese naval hospital ship “Peace Ark” has visited 49 countries and regions to carry out the “Harmonious Mission” series of tasks. No matter how the international landscape evolves, China will continue to act as the defender, builder and contributor of the international order.
This year marks the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Zimbabwe. Since then, China and Zimbabwe have always trusted and supported each other, and bilateral relations have withstood the test of time and international changes. In recent years, under the strategic guidance of President Xi Jinping and President E.D. Mnangagwa, the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership of Cooperation between the two countries has continue to deepen, the cooperation between the two militaries in various fields has continue to expand.Looking ahead, the Chinese military is willing to continue to deepen exchanges and cooperation with Zimbabwe defence forces across various fields such as high-level mutual visits, education and training, defense and military equipment cooperation, and peacekeeping and counter-terrorism. China will continue to assist Zimbabwe in strengthening its defense and stability maintenance capacity building, and playing a more active role in safeguarding regional and global peace and stability.
On this special occasion, please allow me to propose a toast to the friendship between China and Zimbabwe,
And to the health and happiness of all our people.
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