Chinese Defense Minister Chang Wanquan addresses a reception held by the Ministry of National Defense to celebrate the 89th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) in Beijing, capital of China, July 31, 2016. (Xinhua/Ding Lin)

BEIJING, July 31 (Xinhua) -- China firmly adheres to peaceful development and a defensive defense policy, Defense Minister Chang Wanquan said at a reception celebrating the 89th anniversary of the founding of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Sunday, a day ahead of China's Army Day.

The reception, presided over by Chang, hosted guests from all branches of the Chinese army, government bodies and foreign embassies, as well as representatives of veterans, retired army officials and relatives of heroes.

Stressing that the Chinese military will firmly safeguard state sovereignty, national security and development interests, Chang said in his opening remarks that territorial integrity and maritime rights and interests will be defended.

"We are confident in addressing security threats and provocations," said Chang, adding that the Chinese military will "always stand ready to be called upon and be able to fight and win at request of the nation and its people."

Chang said the PLA has emerged from grueling years of war and is "destined not to fear war, but will definitely cherish peace."

"We want peace, not war; cooperation, not confrontation. This is the common aspiration of people around the world," he said.

He also pledged to stay committed to a national defense policy that is defensive in nature and strengthen participation in global and regional affairs.

"China is willing to provide more public security goods to the international community in areas including the United Nations peacekeeping, counter-terrorism, overseas escort and international disaster relief," he added.

In August 1927, armed forces led by the Communist Party of China held an uprising against warlords. The first day of August was later designated as the PLA's founding day.

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新華社北京7月31日電（記者王經(jīng)國、臧曉程）中華人民共和國國防部31日在人民大會堂舉行招待會，熱烈慶祝中國人民解放軍建軍89周年。

中央軍委委員、國務(wù)委員兼國防部長常萬全致辭。中央軍委委員房峰輝、張陽、趙克石、張又俠、馬曉天、魏鳳和出席招待會。

人民大會堂燈火輝煌，充滿節(jié)日氣氛。主席臺帷幕中央懸掛著巨型“八一”軍徽，兩旁是十面鮮艷的紅旗。“1927－2016”幾個(gè)醒目的大字，昭示著中國人民解放軍走過了89年的光輝歷程。

18時(shí)整，招待會在雄壯的《中國人民解放軍軍歌》聲中開始。常萬全代表黨中央、國務(wù)院、中央軍委，向中國人民解放軍指戰(zhàn)員、武裝警察部隊(duì)官兵、預(yù)備役軍人和廣大民兵致以節(jié)日祝賀，向辛勤工作在國防科技工業(yè)戰(zhàn)線的同志們致以誠摯問候，向?yàn)橹袊嗣窠夥跑娊ㄔO(shè)作出重要貢獻(xiàn)的離退休老同志、轉(zhuǎn)業(yè)退伍軍人、革命傷殘軍人和烈軍屬表示親切慰問，向部隊(duì)英模代表、全國雙擁模范代表致以崇高敬意，向長期關(guān)心支持國防和軍隊(duì)建設(shè)的各級黨委和政府、社會團(tuán)體，向全國各族人民表示衷心感謝，向出席招待會的各國駐華武官和夫人及各位來賓表示熱烈歡迎。

常萬全說，89年來，在中國共產(chǎn)黨的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)下，人民軍隊(duì)前赴后繼、英勇奮戰(zhàn)，打敗了國內(nèi)外強(qiáng)大的敵人，克服了無數(shù)的艱難險(xiǎn)阻，為中國革命、建設(shè)和改革事業(yè)，為維護(hù)世界和平與安寧，建立了彪炳千秋的偉大功勛。

常萬全指出，建設(shè)同我國國際地位相稱、同國家安全與發(fā)展利益相適應(yīng)的鞏固國防和強(qiáng)大軍隊(duì)，是我國社會主義現(xiàn)代化建設(shè)的戰(zhàn)略任務(wù)。在強(qiáng)軍興軍的偉大征程中，中國人民解放軍必須高舉中國特色社會主義偉大旗幟，以馬克思列寧主義、毛澤東思想、鄧小平理論、“三個(gè)代表”重要思想、科學(xué)發(fā)展觀為指導(dǎo)，堅(jiān)決貫徹習(xí)近平總書記系列重要講話精神，牢牢把握黨在新形勢下的強(qiáng)軍目標(biāo)，全面實(shí)施政治建軍、改革強(qiáng)軍、依法治軍，更加注重聚焦實(shí)戰(zhàn)，更加注重創(chuàng)新驅(qū)動(dòng)，更加注重體系建設(shè)，更加注重集約高效，更加注重軍民融合，努力建設(shè)一支聽黨指揮、能打勝仗、作風(fēng)優(yōu)良的人民軍隊(duì)。要毫不動(dòng)搖地堅(jiān)持黨對軍隊(duì)的絕對領(lǐng)導(dǎo)，堅(jiān)決貫徹落實(shí)軍委主席負(fù)責(zé)制，增強(qiáng)政治意識、大局意識、核心意識、看齊意識，確保一切行動(dòng)堅(jiān)決聽從黨中央、中央軍委和習(xí)主席指揮。要毫不動(dòng)搖地拓展和深化軍事斗爭準(zhǔn)備，始終堅(jiān)持戰(zhàn)斗力這個(gè)唯一的根本的標(biāo)準(zhǔn)，全面提高信息化條件下的實(shí)戰(zhàn)能力。要毫不動(dòng)搖地傳承和弘揚(yáng)軍隊(duì)優(yōu)良傳統(tǒng)，永遠(yuǎn)保持旺盛的革命斗志和艱苦樸素的革命本色。要大力推動(dòng)軍民融合深度發(fā)展，廣泛開展全民國防教育，深入抓好雙擁共建活動(dòng)，鞏固發(fā)展軍政軍民團(tuán)結(jié)。

常萬全強(qiáng)調(diào)，中國堅(jiān)定不移走和平發(fā)展道路，愿擴(kuò)大同各國利益的交匯點(diǎn)，推動(dòng)構(gòu)建以合作共贏為核心的新型國際關(guān)系，推動(dòng)形成人類命運(yùn)和利益共同體。中國堅(jiān)定不移奉行防御性國防政策，積極參與國際和地區(qū)安全事務(wù)，愿在聯(lián)合國維和、反恐、海外護(hù)航、國際災(zāi)難救援等領(lǐng)域提供更多公共安全產(chǎn)品。中國軍隊(duì)堅(jiān)定不移維護(hù)國家主權(quán)、安全、發(fā)展利益，堅(jiān)定不移捍衛(wèi)領(lǐng)土完整和海洋權(quán)益，有信心有能力應(yīng)對各種安全威脅和挑釁行徑，當(dāng)祖國和人民需要的時(shí)候，堅(jiān)決做到召之即來、來之能戰(zhàn)、戰(zhàn)之必勝。

常萬全指出，堅(jiān)持“九二共識”、反對“臺獨(dú)”是兩岸關(guān)系和平發(fā)展的政治基礎(chǔ)。對任何人、任何時(shí)候、以任何形式進(jìn)行的分裂國家活動(dòng)，英雄的人民解放軍、13億多中國人民、整個(gè)中華民族都決不會答應(yīng)！

常萬全最后強(qiáng)調(diào)，我們要更加緊密地團(tuán)結(jié)在以習(xí)近平同志為總書記的黨中央周圍，不忘初心、繼續(xù)前進(jìn)，開拓創(chuàng)新、銳意進(jìn)取，艱苦奮斗、扎實(shí)工作，為實(shí)現(xiàn)中華民族偉大復(fù)興的中國夢，為不斷推進(jìn)人類和平與發(fā)展的崇高事業(yè)而不懈努力！

軍委機(jī)關(guān)各部門、駐京各大單位、武警部隊(duì)負(fù)責(zé)人出席招待會。

出席招待會的還有中共中央、國務(wù)院有關(guān)部門，北京市、對外友協(xié)負(fù)責(zé)人；軍隊(duì)離退休老干部代表，部隊(duì)英模、首都民兵、烈軍屬、全國雙擁模范、原國民黨起義人員代表以及外國駐華使館武官和夫人等中外嘉賓。