On August 1, 2026, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) will celebrate its 99th anniversary. Over the past 99 years, under the strong leadership of the Communist Party of China, the PLA has made indelible contributions to national independence, the liberation of the people, and the prosperity of the country. It has provided a solid guarantee for safeguarding China’s sovereignty, security, and development interests, and has actively contributed to world peace and security.
China consistently adheres to a defensive national defense policy. It never seeks hegemony, expansion, or spheres of influence. China regards the resolute safeguarding of its sovereignty, security, and development interests as the fundamental goal of its national defense. China believes that every country has the legitimate right to safeguard it’s own security and should respect the reasonable security concerns of other countries. China advocates a common, comprehensive, cooperative, and sustainable security concept, resolving disputes through dialogue and consultation, addressing common challenges through cooperation, and opposing the use of unilateral sanctions or war in international affairs. China’s national defense development is always tailored to meet its legitimate security needs, and the growth of the Chinese military has strengthened the forces for world peace.
The PLA comes from the people and serves the people. In addition to fulfilling its core duty of defending national security, the PLA has long undertaken military operations other than war, including disaster relief, emergency response, and epidemic prevention and control. Whenever major natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes, typhoons, or forest fires occur, the PLA swiftly mobilizes to assist local governments in search and rescue, evacuation, road repair, supply transport, and post-disaster reconstruction. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the PLA dispatched multiple medical teams to the front lines, undertook critical care and medical support tasks, and participated in the construction of emergency hospitals, playing a significant role in the fight against the pandemic. In recent years, the PLA has continuously strengthened its military operations other than war capabilities, enhancing its ability to respond to major natural disasters and other emergencies, so as to better protect the lives and property of the people.
While safeguarding its own national security and serving the Chinese people, the PLA is also actively engaged in international security cooperation, including UN peacekeeping, humanitarian relief, and maritime escort operations, providing public security goods to support world peace and stability.
China is a key contributor to UN peacekeeping operations and one of the largest troop contributors among the permanent members of the UN Security Council. Over the past 30 years, the PLA has dispatched more than 50,000 peacekeepers to UN missions in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and other regions. They have built roads, bridges, airports, and water supply facilities, provided medical services to local residents, and earned wide recognition from the UN, host governments, and local communities.
To ensure the safety of international maritime shipping lanes, the PLA Navy has continuously dispatched escort task forces to the Gulf of Aden and waters off Somalia to carry out international escort missions since 2008. Over the past 18 years, the PLA Navy has deployed over 150 vessels and 36,000 personnel, escorting more than 7,400 vessels and rescuing or assisting nearly 100 ships, of which over 50 percent were foreign ships. These efforts have made a significant contribution to the safety of international shipping.
In the face of major natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods, and hurricanes, as well as public health emergencies like the COVID-19 pandemic, the PLA has actively provided international humanitarian assistance. The PLA Air Force has delivered anti-epidemic and relief supplies to various countries, including Sierra Leone. The PLA has also organized multiple batches of military medical experts to carry out medical rescue missions in relevant countries, demonstrating the spirit of international humanitarianism. The PLA Navy hospital ships Peace Ark and Silk Road Ark have visited 53 countries and regions across Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Pacific Island countries, providing free medical services to nearly 400,000 local people. They have also conducted joint medical drills and training with host countries, helping to strengthen local health capacity.
Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Sierra Leone, military-to-military exchanges and cooperation between the two countries have grown steadily and achieved many notable results. China has helped build the Defense Headquarters, as well as the Wilberforce Mess and officers’ quarters for the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF). China has offered more than 500 military training slots to the RSLAF and has donated equipment, including naval vessels, to support the capacity-building of the RSLAF. China has also sent over 100 military medical experts to Sierra Leone, who have treated more than 10,000 patients.
In recent years, in response to global challenges, China has been striving to build a community with a shared future for mankind and has successively put forward the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilization Initiative, and the Global Governance Initiative. These initiatives aim to address new challenges in development, security, civilization, and governance through strengthening international cooperation. The PLA will actively participate in international exchanges and cooperation under the frameworks of these initiative, conduct joint exercises and training, military medical exchanges, and humanitarian assistance cooperation with friendly countries including Sierra Leone, and contribute to regional stability and global security.
