China Releases Seventh National Defense White Paper

China issued a white paper on national defense today, stating it will not adopt the approach of military expansion now or in the future, no matter how its economy develops.

Yingying has more.

The white paper is the seventh of its kind the Chinese government has issued since 1998. It gives an overall picture of China's national defense ranging from the security environment, national defense policy, to defense expenditure and arms control.

Geng Yansheng, the spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense, says China pursues a defense policy that is defensive in nature.

"This policy is determined by China's development path, fundamental tasks, foreign policy and cultural traditions. At present, and even in the future, no matter how developed China is, China will never seek hegemony or pursue expensive policies."

The white paper says China attaches importance to and takes an active part in international efforts in the field of arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation. In the last two decades, the Chinese military has deployed the largest number of peacekeepers among all UN Security Council member states. It has also taken part in escort missions along the Somalia coast.

On the security environment, the white paper says the world remains peaceful and stable at large, but the international security situation has become more complex and military competition remains fierce. China is now confronted by more diverse and complex security challenges.

The white paper says that China's defense expenditure in 2010 was around 532 billion Yuan or $81 billion US Dollars, a 7.5 percent increase compared to that of 2009. While the year-on-year increases in 2008 and 2009 were 17.5 percent and 18.5 percent respectively, the overall growth rate is decreasing.

Colonel Yang Yujun, Deputy Director General of the Information Office from the Ministry of National Defense says, that the increase has been kept at a moderate level.

"In 2010, China's defense budget accounted for about 1.3 percent of its total GDP, and that number will come to around 1.4 percent in 2011. If we borrow some figures from the latest international military report published by the International Institute for Strategic Studies, then you may find that China's defense budget is much lower than some traditional military powers."

In view of the upward trend in purchasing prices and maintenance costs, the white paper says China has moderately increased the funds for high-tech weaponry and equipment and their supporting facilities.

The paper also reviewed the deployment of the Chinese armed forces, national defense mobilization and reserve force building, military legal system, as well as science, technology and industry for national defense.

For CRI, I'm Yingying.