HARARE, July 24 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Embassy in Zimbabwe hosted a reception on Friday to celebrate the 99th founding anniversary of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA).
Zimbabwean government ministers, senior military officers, diplomats, and liberation war veterans attended the event, seeking to bolster traditional friendship between the two countries.
Speaking at the reception, Wang Zhenyu, Defense Attache at the Chinese embassy, highlighted the PLA's commitment to the Global Security Initiative, saying that over the past 36 years, the Chinese military has deployed more than 50,000 personnel to United Nations peacekeeping operations.
"No matter how the international situation evolves, the PLA will remain committed to its responsibilities, safeguarding world peace and advancing the vision of a shared future for all," Wang said.
Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe Zhou Ding said the profound friendship between China and Zimbabwe was forged in the national liberation struggle, giving rise to strong revolutionary bonds between the two countries.
He noted that a Zimbabwean veterans' delegation recently visited China to retrace their revolutionary steps, further consolidating the ties between the two nations.
"Over the years, the long-standing fraternity has matured into a resilient, all-weather China-Zimbabwe community with a shared future, delivering fruitful outcomes across diverse sectors," Zhou said.
Commander General of the Zimbabwe Defense Forces (ZDF) Emmanuel Matatu expressed his congratulations on the PLA's 99th anniversary. He noted the coincidence that both militaries celebrate their milestones in August -- the PLA marks its 99th anniversary on August 1, while the ZDF celebrates its 46th anniversary on August 11.
Matatu also expressed gratitude for China's unwavering support since the liberation war. "For the ZDF, the PLA has always been a reliable partner in our development," he said, adding that the ZDF looks forward to further nurturing and cherishing this all-weather relationship for generations to come.
On the sidelines of the reception, the 23rd Chinese medical team to Zimbabwe provided free healthcare services to the attending liberation war veterans and distributed brochures to promote disease prevention and treatment.
