把中美关系搞好是历史责任，没人有权搞坏

——驻美国大使崔天凯在庆祝中国人民解放军建军91周年招待会上的讲话

尊敬的凯文·伍尔夫霍斯特准将、罗伯特·斯伯丁准将、威廉·彭宁顿准将：

女士们、先生们、朋友们：

　　晚上好！欢迎大家出席今天的招待会，与我们一起庆祝中国人民解放军建军节。

　　中国人民解放军的历史，与中国共产党的发展紧密相连，与中华人民共和国的命运息息相关，是一部为中国人民谋解放谋幸福的光辉历史。过去，中国人民解放军为中国人民的解放事业，为中国人民的和平建设和改革开放，为捍卫国家主权、安全和发展利益，做出了不可替代、不可磨灭的贡献。现在，中国人民解放军依然是中国人民和平建设美好家园、追求幸福生活的“守护神”，是中华民族实现伟大复兴强国梦的“生力军”。

Remarks by Ambassador Cui Tiankai At the Reception Celebrating the 91st Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Liberation Army

The Honorable Brigadier General Kevin Wulfhorst,

The Honorable Brigadier General Robert Spalding,

The Honorable Rear Admiral William Pennington,

Ladies and Gentlemen, 

Friends,

Good evening. I would like to welcome you to today's reception to join us in celebrating the 91st anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA).

The history of the PLA is integral to the development of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and plays a vital part in the course the People's Republic of China has gone through. It is a glorious chapter of striving for liberation and happiness of the Chinese people. In the past, the PLA has made irreplaceable and indelible contribution to the liberation and peaceful development of the Chinese people, to reform and opening-up of China, and to safeguarding national sovereignty, security and development interests of China. Today, the PLA remains a "guardian" for the Chinese people in their pursuit of a safe home and a better life, and it gives a strong boost to their efforts to fulfill the dream of rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

　　中国人民解放军的战略任务，就是建设同中国国际地位相称、同国家安全与发展利益相适应的强大国防和一流军队，特别是要为捍卫国家主权和领土完整不遗余力。中国的领土我们一寸也不能丢，别人的东西我们一分一毫也不要。目前中国军队通过改革为实现强军梦迈出了关键步伐，以全新的面貌展现在世界面前。

　　中国坚持走和平发展道路，奉行防御性国防政策。中国军队将积极履行国际责任和义务，在联合国维和行动、亚丁湾海域护航、国际人道主义救援等领域发挥更为重要的作用。中国是联合国安理会五个常任理事国中派出维和部队最多的国家，也是联合国维和摊款最多的发展中国家。中国军队始终是世界和平的建设者、全球发展的贡献者、国际秩序的维护者。

The strategic task of the PLA is to build strong national defense and world-class forces commensurate with China's international standing and in line with the national security and development interests. In particular, it must spare no effort to safeguard China's national sovereignty and territorial integrity. We shall not lose even a single inch of our territory; at the same time, we will never covet even a tiny bit of what belongs to others. The PLA has taken essential strides in fulfilling the dream of building a strong military through reform, taking on a new look for the world.

China is committed to the path of peaceful development and adopts a national defense policy that is defensive in nature. The PLA will honor its international responsibilities and obligations and play a more important role in the UN peacekeeping operations, escort missions in the Gulf of Aden and international humanitarian rescue and assistance. China is the biggest contributor of peacekeeping troops among the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and takes up the largest share of peacekeeping assessment rates among developing countries. As such, the PLA is and will continue to be an important force that helps build world peace, contribute to global development and maintain the international order.