BEIJING - With approval from Xi Jinping, chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), the CMC will award the August 1 Medal to outstanding personnel on the occasion of the 95th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA).

The August 1 Medal, conferred by the CMC chairman, is the highest honor in the Chinese military. It is granted to those military personnel who have made outstanding contributions to safeguarding national sovereignty, security and development interests, and to advancing the modernization of national defense and the armed forces.

Priority consideration will be given to model figures who emerge on the country's great journey of strengthening its armed forces under Xi's leadership, the military authorities said.

The CMC general office has issued guidelines for the medal nomination, urging military units at all levels to select model figures in the building of a world-class military in the new era.

The 95th anniversary of the founding of the PLA will be marked on Aug 1 this year.