On July 25, 2023, the Reception Celebrating the 96th Anniversary of the Founding of the People’s Liberation Army of China was held in the Chinese Embassy in Juba. Chinese Ambassador MQ Qiang, Defense Attaché WANG Zeping, and South Sudan's Acting Minister of Defense Victor Atem, Minister of Wildlife Conservation and Tourism Rizik Zakaria Hassan as well as other South Sudanese military and government officials, and representatives of the Chinese community attended the reception.
Amb. MA Qiang pointed out in his speech that over the past 96 years since the founding of the People’s Liberation Army of China (PLA), it has made irreplaceable and indelible contributions to realizing freedom and liberation of the Chinese people, to pursuing peaceful development through reform and opening-up of China, and to safeguarding sovereignty, security and development interests of the nation. Today, the PLA remains a “guardian” for the Chinese people in their pursuit of a safe home and a better life, providing a strong support for the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. As the world today is undergoing major changes unseen in a century and has entered a period of development in which uncertainties and unforeseen factors are rising, the PLA will stay committed to honoring its international responsibilities as the armed forces of a major country. China will continue to follow a path of peaceful development, and remains firm in pursuing an independent foreign policy of peace. China upholds the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, and calls upon all countries to safeguard world peace and security with concerted efforts.
Amb. MA stressed that the Chinese military has always been a leading force in defending regional and international peace. Currently, 1,050 Chinese peacekeepers are fulfilling their mandates in South Sudan. They have carried out security patrols, completed the construction of main support routes, provided medical services and donated humane materials in various regions of South Sudan, playing an important role in maintaining peace, promoting development and improving people's livelihood. China supports South Sudan in restoring national peace and promoting economic development with concrete assistance to the best of its ability.
South Sudan's Acting Minister of Defense Victor Atem congratulated the People’s Liberation Army of China on celebrating its 96th anniversary. He said that people of South Sudan borrowed experience from China to fight for their independence. Today, China and South Sudan have enjoyed cordial cooperative relations in various areas and the military-to-military exchanges in all forms have flourished. The South Sudanese side expressed its appreciation to China for its assistance in military capacity building, implementation of security arrangements in the peace process, economic development, and improvement of people's livelihood, and looked forward to deepening military-to-military cooperation between the two countries.
South Sudan's Minister of Wildlife Conservation and Tourism Rizik Zakaria Hassan delivered remarks on behalf of the South Sudanese government and H.E. President Salva Kiir Mayardit, emphasizing that under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, the People's Liberation Army united the Chinese people to carry out great struggles, setting an excellent and historic example. South Sudan remembers, salutes and pays special tribute to the Chinese martyrs, heroes and heroines, who have shed their blood, selflessly and laid down their lives and paid the ultimate price during the revolution. The South Sudanese government appreciates with satisfaction the relationship between the two countries and thanked China for its great contributions. South Sudan will continue to firmly support the one-China principle, stay committed to deepening friendly bilateral relations, and stands ready to actively promote the cooperation under the frameworks including the Belt and Road Initiative, the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilization Initiative, and the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, to further move South Sudan-China relations forward.
