The Ministry of National Defense of the Ministry of National Defense of the People's Republic of China held a reception in the Great Hall of the People on the 31st to celebrate the 96th anniversary of the founding of the People's Liberation Army. Li Shangfu, member of the Central Military Commission, State councillor and Minister of National Defense, delivered a speech. Liu Zhenli, member of the Central Military Commission and chief of staff of the Joint Staff Department of the Central Military Commission, Miao Hua, member of the Central Military Commission and director of the Political Work Department of the Military Commission, and Zhang Shengmin, member of the Central Military Commission and secretary of the Commission for Discipline Inspection, attended the reception. The atmosphere in the Great Hall of the People was warm, and Chinese and foreign guests gathered together. The solemn "August 1st" military emblem shines brightly in the center of the curtain of the podium, with 10 red flags on either side. The big name "1927-2023" symbolizes the glorious 96 year history of the People's Liberation Army. At about 18:00, the reception began with the magnificent "Military Song of the People's Liberation Army". Li Shangfu, on behalf of the CPC Central Committee, the State Council, and the Central Military Commission, extended holiday greetings to all PLA officers and men, officers and men of the armed police force, military civilian personnel, reservists, and militiamen, extended cordial condolences to retired comrades, ex servicemen, revolutionary disabled soldiers, and martyrs' families who have made contributions to the building of the People's Army in various periods, and extended cordial condolences to the heroes and models of the whole army and the model of national support We pay high tribute to the demobilized cadres of the national model army, express sincere greetings to the scientists, engineers and technicians, and cadres and workers who have worked hard on the national defense science, technology and industry front, express heartfelt thanks to the party committees and governments at all levels and People's organization who have long cared about and supported the national defense and military construction, express heartfelt thanks to the people of all ethnic groups in the country, and extend warm welcome to the military attache and wives of various countries in China and all guests who attended the reception. Accelerate the construction of the People's Army into a world-class military. Amid the cheerful music, Chinese and foreign guests and friends raised their glasses to celebrate the 96th anniversary of the founding of the People's Liberation Army, and wished the friendship between the PLA and the armies of other countries in the world would last forever. Leaders from various departments of the Military Commission and relevant units stationed in Beijing attended the reception. The reception was also attended by relevant departments of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council, as well as leaders of Beijing and the Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries; Representatives of retired military cadres, military models, capital militia, martyrs' families, and national support models, representatives of former Kuomintang uprising personnel, as well as couples of military officials stationed in China from various countries and other guests from home and abroad. (New News Agency)