BEIJING, March 5 -- Over the past five years, a series of major achievements were made in national defense and military development, said a government work report.

The people's armed forces carried out operations in a firm and flexible way; and they effectively conducted major missions relating to border defense, maritime rights protection, counterterrorism and stability maintenance, disaster rescue and relief, COVID-19 response, peacekeeping, and merchant ship escorting.

"Our national defense mobilization capability was boosted," said the government work report submitted Sunday to the national legislature for deliberation. "With these efforts, we fully safeguarded China's sovereignty, security, and development interests."