China exudes military confidence on PLA anniversary

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 as well as an unusually large number of former top leaders, promised more money for military modernization, to include greater use of technology and professional troops.

Hu paid little heed to his normal line of stressing harmony and China's peaceful development as he sought to show off his leadership of the armed forces in the run up to this autumn's 17th Party Congress.

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