Senior Zimbabwe Defence Forces officers, Chinese military representatives and diplomats attend a reception hosted by the Chinese Embassy in Harare to mark the 99th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA). 24 July, 2026 - NNA News

NNA News - China and Zimbabwe have reaffirmed their longstanding defence and diplomatic ties during a reception in Harare marking the 99th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA). The event, hosted by the Chinese Embassy in Zimbabwe on Friday, was attended by Zimbabwean government ministers, senior military officials, diplomats and liberation war veterans.

Speaking at the reception, Chinese Embassy Defence Attaché Wang Zhenyu said the PLA remained committed to international peace and security, highlighting China's participation in United Nations peacekeeping missions. "No matter how the international situation evolves, the PLA will remain committed to its responsibilities, safeguarding world peace and advancing the vision of a shared future for all," Wang said.

He noted that more than 50,000 Chinese military personnel have participated in UN peacekeeping operations over the past 36 years. Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe Zhou Ding said the relationship between the two countries was rooted in Zimbabwe's liberation struggle and had continued to develop across multiple sectors.

He said a recent visit by a delegation of Zimbabwean liberation war veterans to China had further strengthened historical ties between the two nations. "Over the years, the long-standing fraternity has matured into a resilient, all-weather China-Zimbabwe community with a shared future, delivering fruitful outcomes across diverse sectors," Zhou said.

Commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, General Emmanuel Matatu, congratulated the PLA on its anniversary and acknowledged China's support during Zimbabwe's liberation struggle. "For the ZDF, the PLA has always been a reliable partner in our development," Matatu said. He noted that both militaries commemorate their anniversaries in August, with the PLA marking its 99th anniversary on 1 August and the Zimbabwe Defence Forces celebrating their 46th anniversary on 11 August.

Matatu said Zimbabwe looked forward to strengthening defence cooperation with China in the years ahead. On the sidelines of the event, members of the 23rd Chinese Medical Team to Zimbabwe provided free medical consultations to liberation war veterans and distributed health information on disease prevention and treatment.