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Ode to PLA, China

Mahbubur Rahman
ON August 1 the People's
Liberation Army (PLA) of China celebrated its 85th Founding Anniversary. PLA indeed has come a long way in its arduous struggle and challenging journey since it took birth in the armed uprising in Nanchang, capital of Jiangxi province, on August 1, 1927. The glorious history of PLA is a long saga of a protracted war of the Chinese army against imperialist and reactionary forces. PLA went through a long revolutionary process. It started as Red Army, took different names -- New Fourth Route Army, Eighth Route Army -- at different times and situations and finally transformed to People's Liberation Army.
This great revolutionary army undertook the historic Long March of more than ten thousands kilometers, fighting for one year from Jinggang Shan mountains of Jiangxi to the plains of Yenan of Shaanxi, crossing jungles, endless marshes and swamps, narrow valleys, steep gorges and snow capped rocky mountains fighting guerrilla battles all through. This army was led by great commanders like Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, Zhu De, Chen Yi, Peng Dehuai, Nie Rongten, Ye Chienying, Liu Boehen, Ho Long and many others. It fought against Japanese aggression and Chiang Kaishek's reactionary forces and liberated the country. Post-liberation, this great army continuously pursued highest combat excellence, struggled to consolidate the country's independence and sovereignty and always remained a bulwark of national defense as an invincible fighting machine.
PLA, true to its name, always maintained its basic people's army character. It always bore in mind what Mao Zedong taught, that the army is like a fish and people are like the water in a river. This has been the ethos of PLA and the essence of China’s civil military relationship. PLA never was isolated from the broad masses and always remained involved in all national development and socioeconomic activities. It played a domi- nant role in national reconstruction and infrastructure building, and combating floods, cyclones, tornadoes, draughts and earthquakes.
PLA always enjoyed the utmost trust, confidence, love and respect of the people of China. It is an all pervasive force with multidimensional characters. It is a fighting force par excellence with highest combat readiness. It is a productive and skilled force beyond comparison.
1 had the opportunity to live in a PLA unit in a garrison very near to Beijing for a month in mid 1977. In my outdoor study (kai men ban xue) I was sent to a PLA unit and lived in the military barracks along with PLA junior commanders. There was no rank system in PLA at that time and officers were called commanders and soldiers. I wore their uniform, ate, worked, played and slept with them. I was introduced to epic work Art of War by the great master military strategist of ancient China, Sun Tzu.
The PLA unit I was with was fully self-sufficient to cater its logistic needs. It had its own uniform and shoe making factory, its own agricultural fields, its own farm- yards to raise cattle
and get meat and dairy products. The unit even had a medicine factory to produce medicine for local use.
In my Chinese language textbooks I read stories of Canadian Dr. Norman and how he participated in the Long March and selflessly rendered his service in
treating wounded soldiers and saving their lives. My text book also contained stories of Lei Peng, the great soldier of PLA who dedicated his life for the service of poor people and was always available in their crises and difficulties. The motto of PLA, he firmly believed, was "wei renmin fuwu," (serve the people).
I was in China during a very significant period of its history. It was a time when the conspiring clique, the Gang of Four (Jiang Qing, Zhang Chun Qiao, Wang Hongwen, Yao Wenyuan) fell and the so-
called Great Cultural Revolution which caused untold sufferings to the people and brought chaos and disorder in the society met its ultimate demise. I saw the jubilation of Chinese people, which was most spontaneous. For several days the celebration continued and 1 participated
in all the activities shouting slogans, dadao si ren bang (down with Gang of Four), dadao wen hua da geming (down with Cultural Revolution).
About 35 years ago when I lived in China, it had a tiny footprint in global economy and political and military power. Today as I see China, I am totally amazed. It has emerged as a most vibrant and strong nation occupying centre stage of world economy and power. This happened because of country’s wise and able leadership, pragmatic policies, national
unity and solidarity and harmony. The unifying factor and the stabilising core element has always been PLA, the liberator, the redeemer. It indeed always remained most patriotic, dedicated, loyal and trusted by the people -- as the name PLA indicates. It never failed in its tasks and never fell short of the people’s hopes and aspirations.
PLA today is the largest armed forces in the world, most modern, up-to-date, professional, trained and motivated. PLA
underwent extensive reforms and modernisation after the demise of Cultural Revolution in 1976. China started opening up in 1978 under the pragmatic leadership of Deng
Xiaoping, the architect of today's China. The first four areas selected by him for modenisation were, agriculture, industry, science and technology and defence.
PLA, to modernise its weapons and equipment, went into joint venture collaboration with Germany, France, etc.
PLA also developed its nuclear arm. It built its own aircraft carrier and is increasing their numbers. PLA Air Force has the most modern stealth aircraft — a technology only shared by the US. China has also significantly advanced its outer space technology achieving stunning success. China is vigorously pursuing its modernisation drive and is fully confident of thwarting any threat. However, even with the technological advancement and modernisation, the PLA remains truly the people's army -- for the service of the people, for their welfare and wellbeing and for their security.
Bangladesh armed forces received almost their entire military hardware from PLA. Our armed forces were built from the scratch through PLA's support and assistance. I, as the first military attache to China in the '80s, am a witness to how PLA most generously supported the raising of our army, navy and air force, and training them and strengthening our defense capability.
I was invited to China by PLA in 1996 when I was the Chief of Army Staff. I met General Fu Quanyou, the Chief of General Staff and General Chi Haotian, the defense minister. I also had the privilege of meeting His Excellency Jiang Zemin, the President of China and Chairman of the Central Military Commission, the highest military organ of the country. President Jiang said: "China has changed a lot. It is not the same China which you saw when you lived here in the '70s and '80s. It is a changed China, developed China and it is a new generation, a new leadership. The world is changing. I heard Dhaka skyline has also changed. But in all these changes one thing has not changed and it will never change and that is our relationship with Bangladesh, our policy for Bangladesh." He continued: "1 assure you general, China is your friend and will ever remain a friend. In time of need she will be always beside you." His words still ring in my ears. I believe this epitomises the true relationship of our two militaries and two countries. Long live PLA. Long live Sino-Bangla defence cooperation.
The writer is a former Chief of Staff, Bangladesh Army.