The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) and the armed police are providing Long March veterans with free medical check-up in 2006, as part of efforts to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the success of the epic Long March.

PLA medical workers have been giving Long Marchers physical check-ups and drawing up personal health care plans according to each veteran's physical condition.

Local sanatoriums responsible for caring for Red Army veterans vowed to provide more services for retired Red Army cadres whose children do not live with them, and also for invalid Red Army veterans or their widows.

Since mid September, PLA and armed police units have sent officers to visit Red Army veterans, convey greetings, give them or their widows more than 13 million yuan, and help them solve difficulties they encounter in everyday life.

This year, China celebrates the 70th anniversary of the success of the Long March -- the epic 12,500-kilometer strategic military maneuver by Communist Party armies from southern to northern China to escape annihilation by Chiang Kaishek's Kuomintang army.

(Xinhua News Agency October 25, 2006)