Chinese Ambassador Liu Xiaoming (right) cuts a cake with Lieutenant General Richard Felton (middle), Director General of Defence Safety Authority and Major General Su Guanghui (left), Defence Attache to mark the 90th anniversary of People's Liberation Amy in London, on July 27, 2017. [Photo by Wang Bo/chinadaily.com.cn]

Noting that the PLA is now engaged in international military and security dialogues more closely than ever before, Liu said the military-to-military ties China seeks to strengthen are not based on alliance, not confrontational, and not targeting any third country.

Liu added, China will make great efforts to advance international cooperation on military and security, and will play an active and leading role in international peacekeeping and humanitarian missions.

In terms of peacekeeping, China is at present the largest contributor of peacekeepers among the five permanent members of the UN Security Council. China is also the second largest contributor to the UN peacekeeping budget.

Since 1990, China has sent a total of 33,000 peacekeepers and lost 13 Chinese soldiers in peacekeeping missions. Right now, there are 2,800 Chinese soldiers serving in nine missions including those in Mali and South Sudan.

In terms of humanitarian operations, over the past ten years, the PLA has taken part in nearly 30 international rescue missions. Chinese soldiers were in Africa fighting the Ebola virus, in the Indian Ocean searching for the missing Malaysian Airline plane, in the capital of Maldives tackling fresh water shortages, as well as in Nepal helping with the rescue operations after the devastating earthquake.

This year marks the 45th anniversary of the Ambassadorial diplomatic relations between China and Britain. Liu said in recent years, bilateral military relationship has entered a fast track.

Military-to-military exchanges at all levels have been frequent, cooperation expanded and mutual trust enhanced. Exchanges and cooperation have expanded steadily to more areas across different services and cooperation on counter-terrorism, anti-piracy, and search and rescue has been effective and fruitful.

Liu said there will be another port call by a Chinese naval escort fleet at Portsmouth in the coming autumn.

General Richard Felton, Major General Giles Hill, and Air Vice Marshal Warren James, were among the 300 people who attended the reception.

Contact the reporter at wangmingjie@mail.chinadailyuk.com