In the course of its 97 years' development, the People’s Liberation Army has made tremendous progress in every aspect and made great contributions to world peace and security. The Chinese and Bangladeshi militaries have maintained close cooperation in various fields, which have already made important contributions to the development of our both national defence and world peace.
Early this July, the honorable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina paid an official visit to China. Leaders of the two countries agreed to elevate the bilateral relationship to a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership. The two sides also agreed on the need to carry forward the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, with a view to jointly building a community with a shared future for Asia and for mankind. This fully demonstrates the shared will and determination of our two countries to jointly safeguard world peace.
The Chinese people know well the value of peace. The philosophy of upholding peace, harmony and cooperation has been in the vein of Chinese Armed Forces. And China highly appreciates Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman putting forward the vision of "friendship to all, malice to none." Therefore, China and Bangladesh always supports each other in the global arena such as UN and upholds international fairness and justice.
As an instrument developed for peace, UN Peacekeeping has become an important means to safeguard world peace and security. Bangladesh is one of the largest troop-contributing countries and have made outstanding contributions and enormous sacrifices in world peacekeeping operations. Also, China is the largest troop-contributing country among the permanent members of the UN Security Council. Since 1990, Chinese Armed Forces have sent almost 50000 peacekeepers to UN peacekeeping missions in over 20 countries and regions.
Meanwhile, Chinese Armed Forces have responded faithfully to the call for promoting a global community of shared future, actively fulfilled the obligations of the Armed Forces of a major country, and provided more and more public security goods to the international community. In line with relevant UN Security Council resolutions, the PLA Navy has dispatched naval ships to carry out escort operations in the Gulf of Aden and the waters off the coast of Somalia, keeping safe over 7290 Chinese and foreign ships as of June 2024.
Chinese Armed Forces have also actively participated in international humanitarian aid operations, dispatched professional relief forces to provide aid and disaster mitigation in the afflicted countries. One of vivid examples is the Chinese naval hospital ship Peace Ark, which has carried out a series of Harmonious Missions over the past 10 years. Free diagnosis and treatment services have been provided to more than 250000 patients in countries visited and 11 Peace Babies were born on this ship, including the Bangladeshi girl Alifa Chin. The hospital ship Peace Ark is acclaimed as the ship of life and ship of hope.
In the new era, China will continuously and resolutely uphold the basic norms governing international relations based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, be committed to the path of peaceful development, deliver on the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilization Initiative, and be dedicated to promoting a global community of shared future. China will always be the builder of world peace, contributor to global development and defender of international order. Chinese armed forces will embark on missions for world peace with courage and determination, always aspiring to fulfill their missions of meeting the responsibilities of a major country, safeguarding world peace, and contributing to the building of a global community of shared future.