ZHURIHE, Inner Mongolia, July 30 -- President Xi Jinping said Sunday China needs a strong army more than ever, urging the building of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) into a world-class military force.

Speaking shortly after a grand military parade at the Zhurihe training base in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region to mark the PLA's 90th anniversary, Xi said enjoying peace is a bliss for the people while protecting peace is the responsibility of the people's army.

 "The world is not all at peace, and peace must be safeguarded," said Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission.

"Today, we are closer to the goal of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation than any other time in history, and we need to build a strong people's military more than any other time in history," Xi said.

He urged the PLA to fully implement the CPC's thoughts on building a strong military, follow the path of strengthening the army with Chinese characteristics, strive for the CPC's target on strengthening the PLA under the new circumstances, and build the heroic PLA into a world-class military.