99th Anniversary of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Celebrated in Colombo – China Reaffirms Commitment to Further Strengthening Military Cooperation with Sri Lanka

Jul 23, 2026 at 02:31 PM

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Lanka Leader

A special reception marking the 99th anniversary of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) was held in Colombo under the patronage of Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka, H.E. Qi Zhenhong.

The event was attended by Deputy Minister of Defence Major General Aruna Jayasekara, Defence Secretary Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha, former Presidents Mahinda Rajapaksa, Maithripala Sirisena, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, and Ranil Wickremesinghe, former Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, as well as a large number of politicians and senior commanders of Sri Lanka's tri-services.

Addressing the gathering, Ambassador Qi stated that 2026 is a landmark year for China, marking the 105th anniversary of the Communist Party of China (CPC), the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Long March, and the commencement of China's 15th Five-Year Plan.

The Ambassador noted that military relations between China and Sri Lanka have remained steadfast over the years despite various challenges. He also recalled that, following the recent devastation caused by Cyclone Ditwah in Sri Lanka, China had provided humanitarian relief supplies worth 10 million yuan (equivalent to hundreds of millions of Sri Lankan rupees) to the Sri Lankan Ministry of Defence.

The Ambassador's full speech is provided below.

Good evening！Ayubowan! Vanakkam !

On the occasion of the 99th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People's Liberation Army(PLA), on behalf of the Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka, I would like to pay my highest respects to the glorious PLA and express my heartfelt gratitude to all friends who have cared for and supported China's national defense and military modernization!

This year marks the 105th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, as well as the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Long March, and the opening year of the 15th Five-Year Plan. Looking back on China's remarkable achievements, the most fundamental guarantee is the strong leadership of the Communist Party of China. Entering the new era, under the guidance of President Xi Jinping's thought on strengthening the military,  the PLA upgrades military equipment, optimizes troop structure and enhances overall combat capabilities to safeguard national security and global peace.

The global landscape is undergoing profound changes, and hegemonism and power politics continue to prevail. The international community faces the danger of a return to “the law of the jungle”.China stands ready to work with all nations to firmly uphold the UN-centered international system, the international order based on international law, and the basic norms governing international relations based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, while steadfastly practicing true multi-lateralism. China pursues external relations based on the principles of non-alignment, non-confrontation and not targeting any third party, and remains an important force for upholding international fairness and justice.

The Chinese military has actively participated in UN peacekeeping operations, international counter-terrorism cooperation, and counter-piracy escort missions, providing an increasing amount of international public goods and demonstrating the responsibility and commitment as a major country. The stronger China grows, the more peaceful the world becomes; the more China develops, the more prosperous the world gets.

The military-to-military relations between China and Sri Lanka are battle-tested. In recent years, military cooperation has been further deepened in multiple fields, covering defense consultations, personnel training, equipment and technical exchanges, etc. In the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah, China provided the Sri Lankan Ministry of Defence with supplies valued at 10 million RMB. As always, China stands ready to work with Sri Lanka to build strategic trust and continue to firmly support each other.

Building on past achievements, we will strive for even greater success. My colleagues and I will continue to make greater contributions to China-Sri Lanka friendship. 

May I now invite you to raise your glasses: 

Toast to the sustained and steady development of bilateral relations between our two countries and two militaries; 

To regional peace and security;

And to global prosperity and development—Cheers!

Thank you very much!

Speaking at the event, Senior Colonel Fu Xiao of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) stated that China remains committed to further developing defence and military relations with Sri Lanka in a practical and high-quality manner.

Addressing the gathering, which was attended by senior officials of the Sri Lankan Ministry of Defence and the commanders of the Sri Lanka Army, Navy, and Air Force, Senior Colonel Fu Xiao praised the friendly exchanges and cooperation between the armed forces of the two countries over the past period. He also noted that the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Sri Lanka, to be celebrated next year, will mark an important milestone in the enduring friendship between the two nations.

Senior Colonel Fu Xiao's full speech delivered at the event is presented below

Tonight we gather here to celebrate the 99th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Liberation Army of China. Thank you all for attending this event. Over the past two months or so, I have greatly enjoyed in candid and cordial exchanges with senior officials and military officers from the Ministry of Defense of Sri Lanka. And I feel genuine sense of warmth from everyone I met. China-Sri Lanka friendship has been a long-standing history. Next year we will celebrate the 70th anniversary of our diplomatic ties. The bond between two militaries is forged through fighting. I will devote all my time and energy to promote a pragmatic and constructive collaboration between the two militaries.

President Xi Jinping emphasizes that a strong nation must have a strong military. China adheres to a defensive national defense policy and a military strategy of active defense. The development of the Chinese Military has always represented a growing force for world peace. 

For 36 years since Chinese military began participating in UN peacekeeping operations, it has cumulatively dispatched 50,000 peacekeepers and taken part in 26 UN peacekeeping missions. Since 2008, the Chinese Navy has consecutively sent 48 escort task forces in the Gulf of Aden, completing more than 1,600 missions and rescuing more 80 vessels--over half of which were foreign ships. The China’s two Naval hospital ships “Peace Ark” and “Silk Road Ark”, have visited 56 countries and regions worldwide, providing medical services to over 400,000 people. Additionally, the Chinese military has joined more than 50 international humanitarian relief missions for tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and other natural disasters, consistently delivered global public goods and maintained peace and security across the world.  

In the eyes of our partners, China’s deeds matter more than words. In the era of global upheaval and uncertainty, let’s join hands with our action to strive for a peaceful and prosperous world.

Thank you!