The Heat: People’s Liberation Army at 90

The Heat

A camera monitor shows Chinese President Xi Jinping speaking during a ceremony to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Liberation Army at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2017. Xi issued a tough line on national sovereignty Tuesday amid multiple territorial disputes with his country’s neighbors, saying China will never permit the loss of “any piece” of its land to outsiders. (AP Photo/Andy Wong, Pool)

The People’s Liberation Army was founded ninety years ago and over the last few days China has been marking the historic occasion.

The celebrations included a major parade on Sunday at a training base in Inner Mongolia staged before China’s President Xi Jinping. 12,000 troops took part and some of China’s most modern military equipment was on display.

CGTN’s Tang Bo has reports with the latest from Beijing.

To explain the growing role of China’s military internationally:

  • Atul Khare, under-secretary-general for Field Support at the U.N.

Tonight’s panel takes a look at the history of the PLA as it celebrates its 90th anniversary:

  • Zhao Xiaozhuo, deputy director of the Center on China-U.S. Defense Relations at the Academy of Military Science
  • Brendan Mulvaney, director of the China Aerospace Studies Institute at the National Defense University
  • Qinduo Xu, a political analyst with China Radio International