A grand reception was held on Friday by the Ministry of National Defense at the Great Hall of the People to celebrate the 99th founding anniversary of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA), which falls on August 1.
Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun addressed the event, saying that the PLA will advance the high-quality modernization of national defense and the armed forces, and speed up the development of advanced combat capabilities.
Dong noted that this year marks the 105th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China and the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Red Army's Long March, and said that the people's armed forces have carried forward their glorious traditions and fine conduct, ensuring their loyalty to the Party.
Stressing the commitment to being fully prepared for any contingency, Dong said the people's armed forces will serve as a steadfast bulwark for China's national reunification, and resolutely thwart any attempt at Taiwan separatism or external military interference.
The Chinese military stands ready to work with all forces of justice to jointly oppose actions that undermine international and regional peace and stability, address global security challenges, and demonstrate through concrete actions the responsibility and commitment of a major country's armed forces, Dong said.
Chinese defense ministry holds reception to mark PLA's 99th founding anniversary
China's insurance industry paid out 5.53 billion yuan (approximately 770 million U.S. dollars) in claims related to natural disasters during the first half of this year, playing its dual role as an economic shock absorber and social stabilizer amid a spate of extreme weather events.
China has entered the critical July-August flood season, a period traditionally marked by heavy rainfall and heightened disaster risks. Industry authorities have emphasized the establishment of comprehensive response mechanisms covering the entire disaster cycle, encompassing pre-, mid-, and post-event phases.
Since May, torrential rains, typhoons and other severe weather conditions have triggered urban flooding, reservoir breaches and landslides across multiple provinces, including the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Hubei and Gansu, resulting in casualties and significant economic losses. In response, insurance companies have activated emergency protocols and rolled out a series of service measures.
"The insurance industry has received a total of 533,000 claims across 20 provinces affected by rainstorms, floods, typhoons and earthquakes. The estimated loss stands at 11.05 billion yuan, with 5.53 billion yuan already compensated," said Fang Yong, deputy secretary-general of the Insurance Association of China.
To expedite claims processing, the insurance industry has adopted a streamlined approach, waiving on-site inspections, meteorological certificates and road rescue fees.
China's insurance sector pays out 5.53 bln yuan in disaster claims in H1
