On August 1st, to celebrate the 95th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, Fiji Sun published a signed article by Senior Colonel Yu Ke, Chinese Defense Attache to Fiji entitled "Join Hands To Safeguard World Peace And Stability, Create A Better Future For PLA And RFMF". The full text is as follows:

August 1st is the birthday of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA). Over the past 95 years, under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, the Chinese Military has blazed a very extraordinary and glorious path from small to large, from weak to strong, and from victory to victory. It has made significant contributions to striving for national independence, winning people's liberation, defending national sovereignty and territorial integrity, supporting national economic and social construction, and maintaining world peace. It is the well-deserved "Great Wall of Steel" in China and a powerful force for safeguarding world peace.

The world today is undergoing profound changes unseen in a century. Traditional and non-traditional security threats keep emerging. The theme of peace and development is facing severe challenges. Human beings are increasingly becoming a community of shared destiny with shared interests and safety. Standing at a new historical starting point and under the guidance of Xi Jinping's thought on strengthening the military, the Chinese Military adapts to the new changes in the national security environment, adheres to the road of strengthening the military with Chinese characteristics, accelerates the modernization of national defense, resolutely safeguards national sovereignty, security and development interests, and accelerates toward the goal of building a world-class military. It will provide a strong guarantee for the realization of the Chinese dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and contribute new strength to defending world peace.

China adheres to the path of peaceful development and pursues a national defense policy that is defensive in nature. The Chinese nation has always been peace-loving. Strengthening national defense does not target or threaten any other country, but serves to better meet the needs of China's security and development. Since the founding of the People's Republic of China, China has never initiated a war or joined any military bloc. China is a major country with the best record on issues of peace and security in the world. Over the past 30 years, China's annual defense spending has accounted for less than 2% of its GDP, lower than the world average of 2.6%. History has proved that no matter how far it develops, China will never seek hegemony, expansion, sphere of influence, or arms race, and will always remain a staunch force for peace and stability of mankind.

The Chinese Military is committed to fulfilling its international obligations and providing more public security products. The Chinese Military actively implements Xi Jinping's global security initiative, adheres to the concept of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, provides public security products such as peacekeeping, ship escort, HADR, and anti-epidemic cooperation for the international community, and continuously injects positive energy into maintaining world peace and stability. Since 1990, China has sent nearly 50,000 military personnel to 25 UN peacekeeping missions, making it the second largest financial contributor of UN peacekeeping budget and the largest troop contributor among the ermanent members of the UN Security Council. China's "Peace Ark" medical ship has brought health benefits to more than 230,000 people in more than 40 countries. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, the Chinese Military has provided dozens of batches of vaccines and epidemic prevention supplies to the militaries of more than 50 countries. After the eruption of the Tonga volcano, the Chinese Military dispatched military aircraft and ships, sending a large amount of relief supplies far and wide. As China's national strength continues to grow, the Chinese Military will step up its participation in international peacekeeping and humanitarian relief operations, and make greater contribution to safeguarding world peace and promoting common development.

The Chinese Military strengthens military cooperation with foreign countries and serves to build a community with a shared future for mankind. The dreams of the Chinese people are closely connected with the dreams of the people of the world, including Fiji. The Chinese Military has continuously deepened exchanges and cooperation with the militaries of various countries, established close military exchanges with more than 150 countries, and established more than 50 defense consultation mechanisms with more than 40 countries and international organizations, enhancing mutual trust and achieving win-win results. The Chinese Military has continuously improved the scale and level of bilateral and multilateral joint exercises and training, and strengthened their capabilities to jointly respond to global security challenges with foreign militaries. It has actively contributed to maintaining world peace and stability and building a community with a shared future for mankind.

China and Fiji are comprehensive strategic partners. In recent years, under the political guidance of the leaders of the two countries, the friendly relations and cooperation between the two militaries have continued to develop steadily, and a series of fruitful cooperation has been carried out in the fields of defense mechanism, personnel exchange, military training, equipment assistance, and international peacekeeping. The communication and exchanges between China and Fiji have become smoother, which has effectively enhanced the bilateral friendship between the people and the militaries.

Currently, the RFMF is advancing its strategic reform plan to meet new security challenges. At the same time, the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic and the escalating climate crisis have brought more non-traditional security threats to the militaries of China and Fiji, but also created greater opportunities for bilateral cooperation. In accordance with the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, the Chinese Military is ready to strengthen exchanges with the RFMF in international peacekeeping, HADR, maritime security and medical response to COVID-19, enrich the substance of bilateral military cooperation, help the RFMF enhance capacity building and push bilateral military relations to a new level.