China will never compromise on its sovereignty, security or development interests, President Xi Jinping said Tuesday at an Army Day celebration.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks at the ceremony to mark the 90th founding anniversary of the People’s Liberation Army, which falls on Aug. 1.

“The Chinese people love peace. We will never seek aggression or expansion, but we have the confidence to defeat all invasions. We will never allow any people, organization or political party to split any part of Chinese territory from the country at any time, in any form,” Xi said.

“No one should expect us to swallow bitter fruit that is harmful to our sovereignty, security or development interests,” he said.

The people’s army should firmly safeguard the CPC’s leadership and the socialist system, protect national sovereignty, security and development interests as well as regional and world peace, he said.

He urged the PLA to focus on war preparedness to forge an elite and powerful force that is always “ready for the fight, capable of combat and sure to win.”

There are various means and choices to safeguard peace and security and prevent war, but military means should remain the final guarantee, he said.

The life of the people’s military lies in combat ability, he said, urging the PLA to strengthen its awareness of being prepared for any eventualities.

“All thoughts must be put on combat, and all work should focus on combat so the military can assemble, charge forward and win any time the Party and the people need them to,” he said.

The level of military training should be raised to actual combat standards, he said.

Chinese President Xi Jinping began to deliver an important speech at a grand rally marking the 90th founding anniversary of the People’s Liberation Army Tuesday.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, addressed the gathering at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

Under the theme of “Inheriting Folk Culture and Promoting the Taihang Spirit,” a folk music concert was held in Zuoquan, Shanxi Province on July 30.

Folk singers perform Zuoquan folk songs. [Photo by Gao Zhan /China.org.cn]

Zuoquan folk music, originating in the Song Dynasty (960-1279), was placed on the list of national intangible cultural heritage by the State Council in 2016.

Tucked away in Taihang Mountain, Zuoquan County became accessible when highway tunnels were driven through the rock. It was originally called Liao County. After a general named Zuoquan was killed in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, it was renamed in his honor.

During rough periods in the war, Zuoquan County was used as revolutionary base area for the Chinese Communist Party. CPC members with an arts background cooperated with local artists, explored local folkart and composed numerous folk songs，including “Join the Army,” “Carry the Revolution Through to the End,” “Chinese Communist Military Leader Peng Dehuai Works with Us.”

In 2008, Zuoquan County was named as “the home of Chinese folk art” by the Ministry of Culture. Since then, Zuoquan folk music has been taken to the world stage, such as the Shanghai Expo and Turkey.

To promote the protection of intangible cultural heritage and display Zuoquan folk music, the county set up a music base in Hongdu Village. The base, aimed at inheriting the ancient folk music, will become a new brand for Zuoquan tourism.

The former head of the State Administration of Work Safety, Yang Huanning, has been demoted from his administrative post for “serious violation of Party disciplines”, the Communist Party of China’s Central Commission for Discipline Inspection said on Monday.

Yang, 60, was demoted to a vice-bureau level and nonleading position, and was placed on probation within the Party for two years, the CCDI said in a statement on its website.

Yang was found to have seriously violated political discipline and rules and deviated from the Party’s principles on major issues, according to the CCDI.

He also took advantage of his job to seek personal benefits, it said.

The CCDI said Yang was dismissed as a member of the 18th CPC National Congress and his illegal gains will be confiscated.

From May 2008 to October 2015, Yang served as vice-minister of the Ministry of Public Security. He was in charge of the overall work of the public security organs and in 2009, he also held a concurrent post as head of the office under the central leading work group for maintaining stability.

In October 2015, Yang was transferred to a job as head of China’s work safety watchdog, replacing Yang Dongliang, who had been investigated by the CCDI over graft accusations.

Since November 2012, when the new leadership was elected, the country has conducted a sweeping drive to fight against both “tigers and flies”, referring to corrupt high-and low-ranking officials.

More than 140 high-ranking officials, at ministerial level or above, have been investigated over graft allegations. They included Zhou Yongkang, a former member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, who was sentenced to life in prison in June 2015.

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday attended a reception to celebrate the 90th founding anniversary of the People’s Liberation Army, which falls on Aug. 1.

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday attended a reception to celebrate the 90th founding anniversary of the People’s Liberation Army, which falls on Aug. 1. [Photo: Xinhua]

Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, gave his regards to representatives of army heroes and veterans during the reception, attended by more than 1,800 guests from home and abroad.

Other senior leaders of the party and the state, including Li Keqiang, Zhang Dejiang, Yu Zhengsheng, Liu Yunshan, Wang Qishan and Zhang Gaoli, also attended the reception hosted by the Ministry of National Defense.

Defense Minister Chang Wanquan made a speech, calling on the armed forces to resolutely fulfill missions entrusted by the party and the nation.