The world needs peace, the people want cooperation, nations long for development and society aspires for progress. These are the irresistible trends of our times. The Chinese people, like the people of all other countries, do not want to see any new war, hot or cold, and turbulence in any region of the world, but yearn for lasting peace, stability and tranquility, as well as common development and universal prosperity in the world.

China has entered the new phase of development for building a well-off society in an all-round way and speeding up socialist modernization. To continue to propel the modernization drive, to achieve national reunification of the motherland, and to safeguard world peace and promote common development are the three historical tasks of the Chinese people in the new century. The 16th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, which attracted worldwide attention, has drawn up a grand blueprint for China’s development in the new century. A developing China needs a peaceful international environment and a favorable climate in its periphery. And its development will make even greater contributions to world peace and human progress. China steadfastly follows a road of peaceful development, pursues an independent foreign policy of peace and implements a national defense policy that is defensive in nature.

To further introduce China’s national defense policy and progress in national defense development in the past two years, this white paper, China’s National Defense in 2002, is hereby published.