By Wang Zongyang and Mi Peng
ABIDJAN, Cote d'Ivoire, Aug. 12 -- At the invitation of the Ministry of Defense of Cote d'Ivoire, a contingent of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Support Base in Djibouti attended the military parade marking the 64th anniversary of the country's independence in Abidjan, the economic capital of Cote d'Ivoire, on August 7 local time. This is the first time that the PLA has appeared in the military parade in Cote d'Ivoire.
For this military parade, the Chinese side organized a dedicated task unit composed of more than 60 service members from the PLA Support Base in Djibouti. Ivorian State Minister and Defense Minister Tene Birahima Ouattara expressed his sincere thanks to the PLA parade formation for attending the military parade marking the 64th anniversary of the country's independence, and said that it demonstrated the excellent relationship between the two countries.
After the parade, Cote d'Ivoire's President Alassane Ouattara invited the PLA task unit for a group photo to show his gratitude to China as the guest country of honor.
This arrangement showcases that China stresses the importance of the development of relations between the two countries and militaries, which will further deepen the traditional friendship between the two sides and promote the in-depth development of amicable relations between China and Cote d'Ivoire.