President sends festive greetings to military staff

President Xi Jinping extended Spring Festival greetings on Friday to military staff, including peacekeepers and other service members stationed abroad, as he inspected the joint combat commanding center of the People's Liberation Army's Central Theater Command.

Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made a video call with peacekeepers sent by the command.

The Chinese blue helmets Xi talked with are in four different groups－infantry, engineering, medical service and helicopter－and are serving in South Sudan and the Abyei Area, which is on the border between South Sudan and Sudan.

"As the Chinese people are about to celebrate the Lunar New Year, you are still serving in the peacekeeping front lines. I want to extend my sincere greetings and best wishes to you and other Chinese soldiers fulfilling their duties overseas.

"I hope that you could diligently perform your peacekeeping tasks, contribute more to safeguarding world peace, and show the world the outstanding image of the Chinese armed forces," Xi said.

He asked the troops to pay attention to their safety and the prevention of COVID-19.

"I wish you all the best. The motherland and the people look forward to seeing your triumphant return," he told the blue helmets.

In addition to the conversation with peacekeepers, Xi watched videos about the development of the PLA Central Theater Command and the commanding center and listened to senior officers' reports.

When meeting representatives from the theater command, the president requested that it should firmly uphold the Party's thought on strengthening the military in the new era, implement new defense strategies, continuously advance modernization efforts and combat training, and make new accomplishments to welcome the upcoming 20th CPC National Congress.

This was Xi's first inspection tour of a military facility in this year.

One week ago, he promoted the commander and political commissar of the PLA Central Theater Command to the rank of general, which is currently the highest rank for service members on active duty. They were lieutenant generals before their promotion.