VERTICAL FLIGHT: J-7 fighters perform at an air show marking the 60th anniversary of the PLA Air Force in Beijing on November 3 (QIAO TIANFU)

The People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force celebrated its 60th anniversary with a grand ceremony held in Beijing on November 11. Officials conferred medals that were specially designed for the anniversary on pilots who had proven themselves as air heroes.

Festivities included a November 6-7 international military forum on peace and development. At the invitation of PLA Air Force Commander General Xu Qiliang, air force delegations from 35 countries including the United States, France, Britain and Germany attended the forum.

The air force chiefs attending the Beijing forum agreed that all nations should work together in responding to challenges in the air and space, given current security conditions.

They proposed strengthening trust and increasing cooperation between air forces. They also put forward suggestions on establishing a global association of air forces and sharing information on outer space.

"The meeting is conducive to boosting understanding and friendship between air forces," General Xu said at the closing ceremony.

The meeting proved cooperation between air forces is full of vitality, Xu said, and demonstrates their desire to deal with challenges together.

The PLA Air Force also put its most advanced warplanes on display at an airport in the suburbs of Beijing to mark the anniversary. All the aircraft on exhibit, including the Kongjing-2000 Airborne Early Warning and Control aircraft, J-11 fighters, H-6 bomber jets and HQ-9 surface-to-air missiles were made in China.

The PLA Air Force also planned three air shows in November that featured stunt flights and parachute jumps. An exhibition showcasing the development of PLA Air Force weapons and equipment over the last six decades opened to the public in Beijing's China Aviation Museum on November 15.

New era of development

He Weirong, Deputy Commander of the PLA Air Force, said during an interview with China Central Television that the PLA Air Force started full-scale deployment of the J-10 fighter in 2006, a milestone in the force's development. Before the J-10, there were no domestically made third-generation fighters. He said it would take the air force eight to 10 years to upgrade to fourth-generation fighters, which are under development.

Chinese President Hu Jintao on November 8 called for a new chapter in the PLA Air Force's development. Hu met with representatives of air force senior officers and pilots.