A flag-raising ceremony is held during a military parade celebrating the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) at the Zhurihe training base in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on July 30, 2017 (XINHUA) 

President Xi Jinping on July 30 lauded contributions made by the People's Liberation Army (PLA) in its nine decades of history to the country and the people. 

Xi, also General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks after observing a grand military parade in the Zhurihe military training base in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region to mark the PLA's 90th anniversary, which falls on August 1.

Troops are reviewed, as part of the commemorations to mark the 90th founding anniversary of the PLA at the Zhurihe training base on July 30, 2017 (XINHUA)

Xi said the shot fired in Nanchang 90 years ago marked the inception of a new type of people's army under the leadership of the CPC.

Over the past 90 years, the PLA has held high the banner of the Party and shouldered the hopes of the nation, Xi said.

Bathed in blood while forging ahead, they have defeated all the enemies, overcome all sorts of challenges, and made "immortal feat" to help the Chinese people stand up and prosper, he said.

(Xinhua News Agency July 30, 2017)