Ambassadors and Defense Attachés,

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Friends,

Good evening!

It is my great pleasure to welcome you all to the reception celebrating the 99thanniversary of the founding of the People’s Liberation Army of China (the PLA). On behalf of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Republic of the Philippines, I would like to extend a warm welcome to all our distinguished guests and express my sincere appreciation to friends from all sectors who have long supported China-Philippines friendship and cooperation. 

Ninety-nine years ago, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army was born at a time when the Chinese nation faced grave peril. From the arduous years of revolution, through the great undertaking of socialist construction, to the New Era’s great journey toward building a strong country and a strong military, the people’s army has always, under the strong leadership of the Communist Party of China, remained inseparable from the people, sharing their aspirations, fortunes and destiny. It has made immortal contributions to national independence, the liberation of the people, and the country’s prosperity and strength. Today, the PLA fully implements Xi Jinping Thought on Strengthening the Military, follows the path of strengthening the armed forces with Chinese characteristics, and is advancing steadily toward achieving its centenary goal on schedule and building a world-class military.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

China and the Philippines are neighbors that cannot be moved apart, facing each other across the sea. The history of friendly exchanges spanning thousands of years has shown that peaceful coexistence and mutually beneficial cooperation have always served the fundamental interests of our two peoples. Today, China-Philippines relations are at an important juncture. While our two countries share broad common interests, we also face certain differences and challenges. History and reality have repeatedly shown that dialogue is better than confrontation, cooperation is better than conflict, and mutual trust is better than miscalculation.

Since the beginning of this year, China and the Philippines have resumed and conducted several rounds of political dialogue. On July 22nd, on the sidelines of the Foreign Ministers’ Meetings on East Asia Cooperation, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met, at the latter’s request, with the Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Ma. Theresa Lazaro. The two sides agreed to seek proper solutions to maritime-related issues through dialogue and strive for improvement in bilateral relations. The Philippines’ visa-free policy for Chinese nationals and the opening of additional direct flights have given fresh impetus to people-to-people exchanges. In the first half of this year, 220,600 Chinese visitors traveled to the Philippines, up 64.16% year on year, while 290,800 Philippine visitors traveled to China, an increase of 48.9%. China has remained the Philippines’ largest trading partner. Bilateral trade reached US$44.52 billion in the first six months of the year, representing a year-on-year increase of 21.5%. China firmly believes that our two countries have the wisdom and the capability to properly manage differences through friendly consultation, deepen practical cooperation, and bring China-Philippines relations back onto the right track of sound and stable development.

Ladies and Gentlemen, 

China remains committed to an independent foreign policy of peace, follows the path of peaceful development, and consistently pursues a national defense policy that is defensive in nature. No matter how developed China becomes, it will never seek hegemony or expansion. China’s armed forces have always been a staunch force for world peace and an important provider of public good for international security. In recent years, the PLA has actively participated in United Nations peacekeeping operations, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, maritime escort missions, and other forms of international cooperation, making positive contributions to world peace and regional stability.

This year also marks the 81st anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. Peace is hard-earned, and development should be cherished all the more. As an important country in Asia, China stands ready to work with the Philippines and other regional countries to uphold true multilateralism, champion a vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, jointly safeguard the hard-earned peace and stability in Asia, and make new contributions to regional prosperity and development.

Finally, may I propose a toast:

To the 99th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army;

To the enduring friendship between the Chinese and the Philippine people and the continued growth of China-Philippines relations;

To peace, prosperity and shared development around the world.

Cheers!