It is only natural that China's defense spending increase with
its ever growing economic power.
Building a strong military force while sticking to a defensive
military strategy constitutes an important component of China's
peaceful development.
China's military might does not serve as an expansionist
instrument. It will not be used, unprovoked, to settle
international disputes.
This does not mean that China has no right to develop a military
capacity which is offensive by nature.
Such capacity can deter any potential adversary should China's
national interests be encroached upon.
China has the smallest nuclear arsenal among the five
internationally recognized nuclear powers. It is the only country
among the five to pledge not to launch a nuclear first-strike.
At the same time, China is committed to the principle that it
will not use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear countries nor
threaten them with the use of nuclear arms.
China adheres to the principles of striking back in self-defense
and of limited development of nuclear arms. The country will never
embark on a nuclear arms race with any other country.
Some critics are trying to make an issue of China's nuclear
arsenal, claiming that China is likely to launch the pre-emptive
nuclear strikes. This kind of vocal pre-emptive strike is no less
murderous than real military pre-emptive attacks.
China is faced with serious challenges that should never be
trifled with. Traditional and non-traditional security threats are
increasingly intertwined, making it all the more difficult for the
country to safeguard its national security.
Fighting Taiwan "independence" elements and their secessionist
activities is becoming increasingly complex and grave. In addition,
a handful of countries has strengthened strategic precautions
against China, cooking up a "China threat". In China's
"near-abroad", the extremely complicated and sensitive questions
stemming from history and current realities significantly impact
China's security environment.
China's military might is meant to safeguard its own security
and stability. It is meant to deter the hostile elements of
Cold-War mentality who attempt to threaten China's national
interests with force.
China has made peaceful development its national policy and is
also pushing for building a world in harmony. This marks the
harmonious integration of its domestic and foreign policies on the
planes of strategic and philosophical thinking.
In traveling along the road of peaceful development, China is
expected to apply its ever stronger political, economic and
military power to promote regional and global prosperity and
development.
Skepticism, misgivings and fears about China's growing power
keep arising. In this atmosphere, sticking to the road of peaceful
development becomes all the more important for the country.
Peaceful development is a banner demonstrating China's image to
the world. Domestically, peaceful development is a yardstick
against which our mentality is gauged and government policies
evaluated.
Every country has the right to a military force in keeping with
its national interests. However, the crux of the matter is the
country's strategic intentions, the policy it pursues and how its
military might is used.
As a responsible big country, China is supposed to make greater
contributions to safeguarding world peace and stability by
developing its own military strength.
As a matter of fact, the country is fulfilling its international
obligations. For example, China, among the five permanent members
of the UN Security Council, contributes the largest contingent of
UN peacekeepers to hot-spot countries and regions.
In the course of China's peaceful development, its military
strength is being enhanced in keeping with the country's rising
international status. It is expected to possess great capability to
cope with traditional and non-traditional security threats.
In this way, the country will make still greater contributions
to world peace, stability and prosperity.
(China Daily June 11, 2007)