Ambassador Zheng Zeguang: the People's Liberation Army of China is a great wall of steel and a valiant force for peace

In celebration of the 95th anniversary of the founding of the People's Liberation Army, Chinese Ambassador Zheng Zeguang delivered a video message in which he stressed that the PLA is committed to defending national sovereignty, security and development interests, maintaining regional stability and promoting world peace. The full text of his remarks is as follows:

A Great Wall of Steel

A Valiant Force for Peace

Video Remarks on the 95th Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Liberation Army of China

Zheng Zeguang

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Dear Friends:

It is a real delight to join you online to celebrate the 95th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA).

On behalf of the Chinese Embassy in the United Kingdom, I would like to extend warm greetings and pay respect to all the members of the PLA, and express my sincere gratitude to friends from all walks of life who care about and support the development of the military-to-military relations between China and the UK.

Born in the Nanchang Uprising on August 1, 1927, the PLA is the people's army led by the Communist Party of China. Over the past 95 years, it has gone through trials and hardships in the course to win independence? for the nation, liberation for the people and prosperity for the country, and contributed greatly to maintaining world peace and promoting the progress of mankind.

In this process, the PLA has remained true to its original mission, displayed tremendous heroism and achieved brilliant victories and historic feats one after another.

Entering the New Era, under the guidance of Xi Jinping's thinking on strengthening the military, the PLA has undergone an all-around revolutionary restructuring, and is building a strong military with Chinese characteristics.

At home, from patrolling the border and defending the territory to fighting terrorism and maintaining stability, from emergency response and disaster relief to supporting rural revitalization, the PLA has always obeyed the Party's command and taken resolute strides to fulfill the missions of the new era and defend national sovereignty, security and development interests.

Around the world, by participating actively in peacekeeping operations, escort missions in the waters off Somalia and the Gulf of Aden, international cooperation on pandemic response, disaster relief and humanitarian assistance, the PLA is providing more and more public security goods to the international community.

Ladies and gentlemen:

The world is experiencing profound changes unseen in a century. Security challenges keep cropping up; instabilities and uncertainties are notably on the rise.

Against this backdrop, President Xi Jinping proposed the Global Security Initiative, which champions a vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, follows the philosophy that humanity is an indivisible security community, and advocates a new security concept that emphasizes dialogue over confrontation, partnership over alliance and win-win cooperation over zero-sum game.

This Initiative contributes China's wisdom to bridging the global peace deficit and provides China's solution to international security challenges. We stand ready to work with all countries in the world, including the UK, to deliver the Global Security Initiative and provide the world with more stability and positive factors.

For those UK politicians who have been peddling the fallacy of the so-called "China threat" and agitating for restrictions on UK's connections with China, I want to say, these moves only reveal an ignorance about China's history and reality, and an attempt to cover up their own incompetence by shifting the blame to China. Such?clamour goes against the aspirations of the Chinese and British people, jeopardizes the mutual interests of the two countries, and is doomed to failure.

China is always a defender of world peace, a contributor to global development and an upholder of international order. And the PLA is always a staunch force firmly committed to maintaining regional stability and promoting world peace.

There is but one China in the world. Taiwan is an inseparable part of the Chinese territory, and the Government of the People's Republic of China is the sole lawful government representing China. The one-China principle has always been the political foundation and fundamental premise for the establishment and development of diplomatic relations between China and other countries. So it must always be observed.

At the moment, the biggest threat to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait comes from the obdurate secessionist activities of the "Taiwan independence" forces and the connivance and support of external forces. China will strive for the prospect of peaceful reunification with the utmost sincerity and efforts, but we are firmly against separatist moves toward "Taiwan independence". We will never allow any room for "Taiwan independence" forces in whatever form. No one should underestimate the great resolve, firm will and strong capability of the Chinese people in defending national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Ladies and gentlemen:

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations at the ambassadorial level between China and the UK. The experience over half a century shows that dialogue and cooperation is in line with the trend of the times and beneficial to the two countries and the world at large. Only when the principles of mutual respect, equality and win-win cooperation are strictly followed can we ensure the healthy and steady growth of the bilateral relations.

It is good to see that the military forces of our two countries have maintained communication and exchanges. These ties are an important part of the overall China-UK relations. Going forward, I hope that the two militaries will continue to strengthen dialogue, communication and exchanges, and enhance mutually-beneficial cooperation. In this way, they can give a positive impetus to the steady growth in the China-UK relations and make new contribution to world peace and stability.

Thank you.