BEIJING -- Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said on Thursday China will elevate its armed forces to world-class standards so that "we are equipped with greater capacity and more reliable means for safeguarding our national sovereignty, security, and development interests."

"We must accelerate the modernization of national defense and the armed forces," said Xi, also Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, at a ceremony marking the centenary of the CPC in Beijing.

The people's military is a strong pillar for safeguarding the socialist country and preserving national dignity, and a powerful force for protecting regional and world peace, he noted.