Chinese President Hu Jintao has called on the army to carry forward the courageous spirit it had shown in the earthquake relief work earlier this year to better serve the people.
He made the remarks on Thursday while meeting soldiers and officers who were recognized for their outstanding contributions to disaster relief work after the Sichuan quake in May.
The PLA troops and armed police were among the first to provide rescue and relief. In total, nearly 150,000 troops, armed police, reservists and police were mobilized for the rescue and relief.
Hu spoke highly of the army's key role in the arduous work. And he said the PLA should draw from the experience to strengthen its capabilities against various threats to the nation's security.
