At museum, foreign guests learn PLA history

An exhibition marking the 90th anniversary of the founding of the People's Liberation Army, held in Beijing at the Military Museum of the Chinese People's Revolution, welcomed more than 400 foreign guests on Thursday.

The guests included 38 ambassadors, more than 200 diplomats from foreign missions in Beijing and more than 100 foreign experts who work for Chinese agencies and organizations.

Many of the foreign guests said they were impressed by the items on display and the story of the PLA's development told in the exhibition.

Visitors observed the PLA's transformation over the past 90 years through the tour. Seba Ric, a French-language editor for China Radio International, said he learned a lot about the PLA's role in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45) and the War of Liberation (1946-49) before the founding of the People's Republic of China.

Nowadays, the PLA participates increasingly in international affairs, including peacekeeping operations, humanitarian relief and naval escort missions, Ric noted.

"The PLA's changes and reforms are what President Xi Jinping is trying to promote now to let the world know the PLA is strong, but for peace," he said.

Nasir Mahmood, an official at the Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization, said: "The PLA achieved a lot. Many militaries in the world have not achieved as much the PLA has in 90 years."

As for the role the PLA currently plays in the world, some diplomats gave their opinions. Madi Sawo, protocol and welfare officer at the embassy of the Republic of Gambia, said the PLA contributes to maintaining the world peace by cooperating with United Nations.

"From the beginning of the 1990s, the PLA has been sending peacekeepers to maintain regional stability and world peace. And the ongoing military reform is aimed at further strengthening and modernizing the PLA," Madi said.

Jiang Chenglong contributed to this story.