By the Office for International Military Cooperation (OIMC) of the Central Military Commission

The white paper titled China's National Defense in the New Era emphasizes China's insistence on the path of peaceful development and the policy of defensive national defense, and expounds on the historical changes and achievements in national defense and military development. It sends out China's voices, makes its assertions and illustrates its contributions to the world, announcing loud and clear that China is always a builder of world peace, a contributor to global development and a defender of the international order, and the Chinese military is a steadfast force to safeguard world peace.

I. A defensive national defense policy system in the new era is established

National defense policy is the underpinning principle of national defense and military construction, and also the central content of the defense white paper.

As the first comprehensive defense white paper issued after the 18th CPC National Congress, China's National Defense in the New Era systematically expounds on the connotations of China's defensive national defense policy in the new era from five aspects - the fundamental goal, distinctive feature, strategic guidance, development path and global significance. The white paper establishes the nation's defensive national defense policy system in the new era for the first time.

Resolutely safeguarding national sovereignty, security and development interests is prioritized as the fundamental goal of China's national defense - this is the inherent requirement and basic orientation for China's construction and consolidation of national defense and a strong military.

Never seeking hegemony, expansion or spheres of influence is the distinctive feature of China's national defense - this highlights the self-defense and defensive nature of Chinese national defense in the new era, and is a stern rebuttal to such fallacies as "a powerful China will seek hegemony" and the "China threat theory".

Serving the building of a community with a shared future for mankind is the global significance of China's national defense - this underscores the Chinese military as a steadfast force for safeguarding world peace and stability, and reflects the lofty aspiration of China's national defense and military construction.

The document especially points out that solving the Taiwan question and achieving complete reunification of the country is in the fundamental interests of the Chinese nation and essential to realizing national rejuvenation. The People's Liberation Army will resolutely defeat anyone attempting to separate Taiwan from China and safeguard national unity at all costs, the white paper stresses, clearly conveying China's firm will to oppose any interference by foreign forces and defend its own core interests.

II. Historical achievements in China's military construction in the new era are fully displayed

China has deepened its national defense and military reform in all respects and solidly advanced its combat readiness in the new era to meet the requirements of national security and development strategy, and follow the trend of worldwide revolution in military affairs.

The white paper China's National Defense in the New Era has a chapter titled "Reform in China's National Defense and Armed Forces" that gives a panoramic account of the new outlook of the reformed Chinese military. It systematically introduces five aspects, namely, reforming the leadership and command system, optimizing size, structure and force composition, reforming military policies and institutions, reshuffled PLA and PAP troops, and promoting defense and military development in all respects.

III. Chinese military is a firm force of safeguarding world peace

The white paper, with massive amounts of facts and data, shows the world that the Chinese military has made positive contributions to building a community of a shared future for mankind.

The dream of the Chinese people is closely related with the dream of people around the world. We cannot achieve the Chinese Dream without a peaceful international environment and stable world order. China creates favorable conditions for its own development by safeguarding world peace, and its development in turn promotes world peace.

In the five aspects of resolutely upholding the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, building a new-model security partnership, putting in place a regional security cooperation architecture, properly coping with disputes over territory and maritime demarcation and actively providing international public security goods, China's National Defense in the New Era gives full, accurate and objective evidences of China's efforts and contributions in a wide range of areas. They include firmly maintaining multilateralism, protecting global strategic balance and stability, developing constructive relationships with foreign militaries, maintaining regional peace and stability, properly managing conflicts and differences, participating in the UN's peacekeeping and escort missions and international disaster relief efforts, and carrying out counter-terrorism cooperation.

IV. Chinese military's openness and confidence is demonstrated by actively responding to international concerns

As China takes faster steps in national defense and military modernization and carries out more military exercises in the new era, its national defense construction and military build-up have captured growing attention from the international community. By issuing the white paper, the Chinese government confronts hotspot and sensitive issues squarely and responds to international concerns actively, in a bid to dispel doubts and boost trust, and enhance international understanding and recognition of China's national defense and military construction.

The white paper comprehensively and systematically introduces the system and composition, development strategy, and weapons and equipment of the reshuffled arms and services, and elaborates on the measures adopted by the Chinese military to rectify the Party's work style, promote integrity and combat corruption. It also introduces the PLA Djibouti Support Base and makes it clear that China exercises its national sovereignty to build infrastructure and deploy defensive capabilities on the islands and reefs in the South China Sea, and to conduct patrols in the waters of Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea, fully demonstrating the Chinese military's transparency and confidence.

As the world has been paying close attention to China's defense expenditure, the new white paper for the first time compares it with the national defense expenditure of the leading countries in the world. Comparisons on three dimensions - ratio of defense expenditure to GDP, ratio to government spending, and per capita defense expenditure - prove without any doubt that China's defense expenditure is on a relatively low level and its increase is reasonable and appropriate. There is still a wide gap between China's defense expenditure and the requirements for safeguarding national sovereignty, security and development interests, for fulfilling China's international responsibilities and obligations as a major country, and for China's development. In step with national economic development, defense expenditure of China will maintain a moderate and steady growth.