China is modernizing PLA to handle new security threats: official

NAIROBI - China is devoted to modernizing its defense forces to enhance its capacity to handle new security threats, said Wang Yang, military attache at the Chinese Embassy in Kenya late on Tuesday.

He made the remarks at an event celebrating the 92nd anniversary of the founding of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) of China, which was also attended by some Kenyan officials and foreign diplomats.

"The PLA has been making great and historical contributions to the Chinese people's liberation, socialist construction and reform," said Wang.

"In the new era, we are currently committed to building a fortified national defence system and a strong military that are commensurate with the country's international standing and its security and development interests," he said.

Wang stressed that Beijing has no intention to pursue hegemony, but will rather promote peaceful development and win-win partnerships.

"We advocate a common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security concept. We also advocate a road of common construction, sharing and win-win security, and actively participate in international security dialogues and exchanges," he said.

China is now a major contributor to the UN peacekeeping operations in global hotspots, said Wang, adding that China had by 2018 participated in 24 UN peacekeeping missions and contributed more than 40,000 peacekeepers.

Beijing has been on the frontline of humanitarian assistance in global hotspots and has also dispatched troops to protect critical shipping routes like the Gulf of Aden and Somalia's coastline, he said.

"In the past decade, over 100 vessels and 26,000 officers and sailors have been regularly deployed in 31 escort task groups. They escorted more than 6,600 ships, and rescued, protected or assisted over 70 ships in distress," he added.

The offical also said he was optimistic that China-Kenya defense cooperation will be strengthened.