China, Africa vow to strengthen military cooperation

ADDIS ABABA, July 22 (Xinhua) -- China and the African continent, under the umbrella of the African Union (AU), have vowed to strengthen the already fruitful military cooperation so as to realize their common aspirations toward securing peace and stability in Africa and beyond.

This came during a reception marking the 96th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) on Friday evening in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.

The event brought together military representatives of different African countries, senior Ethiopian government officials, members of the diplomatic corps in Ethiopia, as well as representatives of the Chinese societies in Ethiopia.

"Without security and stability there can be no development. As a constructive participant and active contributor to the cause of peace and security in Africa, China has continued to deliver military assistance to the African Union, supporting capacity building of the African Standby Force and jointly working on counter-terrorism," Guo Baojian, Defense Advisor of Mission of China to the AU, said during the ceremony.

Guo stressed that the PLA is developing into a world-class military, which serves as a strong guarantee for the realization of the Chinese national rejuvenation and also for making greater contributions to world peace.

"China has always been a peace loving nation. Under the guidance of the national defense policy, the PLA always honors its international responsibilities and plays an active role in maintaining world peace," he said.

Guo said as part of its commitment to international peace, China is the second-largest contributor to the UN peacekeeping budget, and a top contributor of the peacekeepers among the five permanent members of the UN Security Council.

Antonio Lamas Xavier, Chief of Staff of the African Standby Force (ASF), on his part echoed Guo's comments as he hailed the ever-expanding China-Africa military cooperation and fruitful partnership in promoting peace and security across the African continent.

Xavier, in particular, underscored the growing cooperation and positive outcomes in the peace and security sector following the establishment of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).

He stressed that the China-proposed Global Security Initiative (GSI), which aims to eliminate the root causes of conflicts and improve global security governance, is highly welcomed in Africa as it injects positive momentum towards strengthening continental security and development.