Beijing, August 2 (KCNA) -- China marked the 84th founding anniversary of the Chinese People's Liberation Army.

The Ministry of National Defence held a party at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on July 31.

Liang Guanglie, minister of National Defence and state councilor, said in a speech that the CPLA has performed extraordinary feats not only in winning the independence and liberation of the nation but also in defending the sovereignty, security and territorial integrity and made a great contribution to promoting the economic and social development under the guidance of the Communist Party of China since its foundation.

All the officers and men should be armed with the theoretical system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and adhere to the fundamental principle governing the work to ensure the absolute leadership of the party over the army and the main purport of the army without any vacillation, he stressed.

All the army and the people's armed police forces should perform the duties entrusted to them by the party and people, rallied close around the party central committee with Hu Jintao as general-secretary, he concluded.

Meanwhile, various events took place at every unit of the CPLA such as friendship meeting of army and people, art performance, sports game, etc.