The Chinese embassy in Doha yesterday marked the 97th Anniversary of the Founding of the People’s Liberation Army in an event attended by several officials, diplomats, heads of other diplomatic missions to Qatar, and a number of Qatari officials.
The event was hosted by the Chinese ambassador Cao Xiaolin and defence attaché Senior Colonel Yang Yongzhi. Among the chief guests from the Qatari Ministry of Defence were General Khalifa Bu Jalouf, Amiri Air Force’s Human Resources and Education Commander Brigadier General Khalifa Ahmed al-Ammari, Airlift Group Commander Lt Col Hamad Shaheen al-Madeed, Director of Defence and Security Agreements and Conventions Directorate, and Lt Col Abdullrahman al-Dosary, from the International Affairs Directorate.
The ceremony featured a short documentary on the development and various achievements of the Chinese Liberation Army and its successes in various local, regional and global missions in co-operation with friendly nations and world organisations.
Senior Colonel Yongzhi delivered a speech highlighting the peaceful missions of the Chinese Army and its role in the world humanitarian and rescue efforts among others. He also stressed the strong and friendly Qatar-China relations over the past years on all levels and in the defence and security fields in particular.
He said: “This year marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the China-Qatar strategic partnership. In the past 10 years, President Xi Jinping and His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani have met five times, and agreed to deepen the China-Qatar strategic partnership. Under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, China-Qatar relations have shown a comprehensive and rapid development momentum. China has been Qatar’s largest trading partner and export destination for four consecutive years.”
He stressed that “the military relations between China and Qatar have also continued to develop in a healthy and stable manner and achieved positive results. At the end of 2023, the 44th People’ Liberation Army (PLA) Navy escort fleet visited Doha, and Lieutenant General Jing Jianfeng, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Joint Staff Department of the Central Military Commission, visited Qatar.
In the beginning of 2024, a PLA Navy delegation visited Dimdex in Doha. In May this year, HE Dr Khalid bin Mohamed al-Attiyah, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defence Affairs, visited China, and the PLA National Defence University delegation visited Qatar. In addition, the co-operation between China and Qatar in military training and defence industry is also expanding and deepening. We believe that the prospects for China-Qatar military co-operation are promising in the future.”