By Fang Zhao and Wang Chenxi
Officers and soldiers of the PLA Macao Garrison participate in the 19th voluntary blood donation activity on March 18./Xinhua Photo
MACAO, Mar. 19 (ChinaMil) -- Over 120 officers and soldiers of the PLA Macao Garrison donated nearly 50,000ml blood during the 19th Commonweal Blood Donation activity organized by the PLA Macao Garrison and the government of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) on March 18. Nearly 1,900 service members have donated approximately 800,000ml of blood to local citizens since the PLA Macao Garrison's deployment in 1999.
Senior Colonel Xu Liangcai, Commander of the PLA Macao Garrison, said that the officers and soldiers of the garrison have always regarded Macao as their hometown and Macao compatriots as their families. Every year the garrison troops participate actively in the voluntary blood donation activity.
Xu said this year marks the 20th anniversary of Macao's return to the motherland and the stationing of the PLA Macao Garrison. The garrison will do its utmost to assist and cooperate with the Macao SAR government to complete major works and tasks and actively participate in and carry out various social welfare activities. The garrison will make new contributions to maintaining Macao's long-term prosperity and stability with practical actions and excellent performance, Xu added.
Li Jingjing, a female soldier at the communication station of the PLA Macao Garrison, entered service in Macao in January, 2019. She said that it is an honor for her to serve in the garrison and witness the prosperous development of Macao. Participating in blood donation is her most sincere blessing to Macao and local compatriots, she said.
The garrison organized a careful blood screening of the registered officers and soldiers one week before the blood donation to ensure the quality of blood. Since the PLA Macao Garrison was stationed in Macao 20 years ago, the garrison troops have actively participated in social welfare activities such as caring for the old and the young, planting trees, and donating blood & money while effectively performing their defense duties in Macao, wining wide praise from Macao compatriots.