China exudes military confidence on PLA anniversary

By Ben Blanchard

BEIJING (Reuters) - China called its growing military strength a force for peace and Communist Party rule on the 80th anniversary of the People's Liberation Army on Wednesday, even as a senior commander warned Taiwan against risking war.

President Hu Jintao, addressing hundreds of soldiers, sailors and airmen at the monolithic Great Hall of the People, promised more money for military modernisation, to include greater use of technology and professional troops.

The anniversary has brought a crescendo of propaganda seeking to advertise China's growing military confidence but also counter Western claims that the PLA threatens regional stability.

"The PLA is internationally renowned as a powerful, disciplined army and has won the deep trust and high regard of the party and people," said Hu, who is also chairman of the powerful Central Military Commission.

"We will gradually increase spending on national defence as the economy grows and continue to modernise national defence and the armed forces," he added, as a plethora of former leaders looked on, including his predecessor, Jiang Zemin.

"We will .... ensure that our armed forces are capable of winning a war in the information age," Hu said, in a speech punctuated by thunderous rounds of applause. "Modernisation of weapons and equipment should be accelerated and personnel training enhanced."

The People's Daily, the ruling Communist Party's official newspaper, said in an editorial the PLA was a force for peace.

"It provides a staunch security protection for our country's development in an important strategic period ... and plays a major role in protecting world peace."