Soldiers open fire on board the guided-missile destroyer Haikou during an international maritime exercise. [Photo by SHAO LONGFEI/FOR CHINA DAILY]

Defense minister: Underestimating army's resolve 'extremely dangerous'

Underestimating the People's Liberation Army's resolve to safeguard China's sovereignty, security and development interests is "extremely dangerous", Defense Minister General Wei Fenghe said on Tuesday.

Wei, also a State Councilor, said the world today is undergoing profound changes unseen in a century, with peace and development remaining overall trends, though destabilizing factors and uncertainties are mounting.

China will continue to follow a path of peaceful development and adamantly uphold its national military policies, which are defensive in nature, he said at a reception at Beijing's Great Hall of the People on Tuesday night, two days before the 92nd anniversary of the founding of the PLA.

Wei added China will never seek hegemony, expansion or spheres of influence, but the PLA will resolutely safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests.

"We have the confidence and capability to overcome all difficulties," he said.

"There is one China in the world, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China," he said. "China must be and will be reunified. No attempt to split China will succeed, and underestimating the PLA's resolve and will is extremely dangerous."

At the same time, the PLA will deepen exchanges and cooperation with foreign militaries and actively participate in international and regional security affairs, aiming at making greater contributions to world peace and stability, he said.

Wei said the PLA will undertake further reform and modernization to build a strong military that can fulfill the missions entrusted to it by the Communist Party of China and the people.

"Being able to fight and win is the basic requirement of the PLA," Wei said. "Improving combat capability is our sole and fundamental criterion. We shall develop combat capability through scientific and technological innovation, and conduct harder and stricter training so that the PLA will always be ready to fight and win when called upon."

Historically, the contributions made by the PLA have enabled the Chinese people to "stand up, grow rich and become strong while promoting world peace and prosperity," Wei said.

The PLA will carry forward the heroic legacy and fighting spirit from the revolutionary days, tighten discipline and strictly operate under the law so as to ensure highly centralized and unified management and maintain the safety and stability of the troops, he said.