HANOI, July 31 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Embassy in Vietnam hosted a reception here on Tuesday evening to celebrate the 92nd anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) which falls on Aug. 1.
About 260 Chinese and Vietnamese high-ranking officials, politicians, diplomats, scholars and representatives from all walks of life, including Chinese Ambassador to Vietnam Xiong Bo attended the reception.
"The PLA has accomplished the remarkable feat of achieving national independence, liberation of the people and prosperity of the country," Luo Bin, the embassy's military attache, said in the opening speech.
And it has made important contributions to safeguarding national sovereignty, security and development interests, and to promoting world peace and common progress, Luo added.
"China's development does not pose a threat to any country," he affirmed, noting that China pursues independent and peaceful foreign policy and defensive defense policy, and unswervingly follows the path of peaceful development.
As close and friendly neighbors, the Chinese and Vietnamese peoples have all along provided mutual support and assistance, and forged deep friendship in their revolutionary struggle and pursuit of socialism, he said.
Extending congratulations at the reception, Ngo Minh Tien, deputy chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army, said that the Chinese PLA has been growing up over the past 92 years under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, making contributions to the cause of national liberation and socialism construction with Chinese characteristics.
In recent years, the bilateral defense cooperation has been expanding and moving forward in a practical and effective direction, the Vietnamese official said.
He believed that the cooperation between the two armies will not only bring about practical benefits for the two peoples, but also make contribution to the construction of a world of peace, stability and development.
