China's national defense policy is defensive in nature
- By Zhou Lin
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Transparent National Defense Expenditure
As regards allocations from this large sum, Qian Lihua explained that, in line with the "White Paper on China's National Defense in 2010," China's expenditure is in the three main areas of personnel, training and maintenance, and equipment.
Currently, as national defense and military reforms strengthen, China has set down adjustments to its military expenditure in five aspects. They are:
First, give priority to national defense and military reforms, to ensure that the adjustments to and systematic optimization of the armed forces are in place. Second, scale up the research and development budgets for main equipment and for the upgrading of military equipment. Third, allocate budgets for military training and education, in a bid to cultivate new-type high-caliber military personnel. Fourth, improve the conditions for readiness training and for the life and work of military personnel. Last but not least, incline towards such fields as civil-military integration, national defense mobilization, and construction of the rear areas.
China's national defense expenditures are allocated beyond the military field, a practice distinctive from other countries but in line with the country's status quo.
Qian Lihua stressed that the Chinese army is always a firm force for safeguarding world peace. China has unswervingly adhered to a national defense policy which is inherently defensive, and combined it with an active defensive military strategy. Its strategic intentions and capability building are open and transparent.
The Chinese government, in compliance with the National Defense Law and the Budget Law, includes all spending relative to national defense in the budget, which it then submits to the National People's Congress for approval.
The Chinese armed forces have expanded their extent of information transparency, so displaying their confidence and openness. In recent years the forces have made information available to the public via the media, military and academic institutes, regular press conferences, and monthly updates on army building. The Ministry of National Defense publishes the White Paper every two years, and releases the latest news in The PLA Daily, the Ministry of National Defense website, the military network, and related government websites.
Since 2007, the Chinese government has submitted its annual military expenditure to the UN. This practice reflects the country's proactive interest and participation in the affairs of the international community. By publishing its national defense expenditure, China can display to the world its national defense policy and the development of its armed forces.
Commitment to International Peacekeeping
The report of the 18th CPC National Congress proposed that the Chinese army continue to strengthen military cooperation with other countries, enhance mutual military trust, participate in regional and international security affairs, and exert a positive influence on international politics and security.
China has been proactive in maintaining peace in the international community. In the light of UN resolutions, China sent squads of peacekeeping troops overseas. Since 1990, Qian Lihua said, over 30,000 peacekeepers have been deployed in more than 10 nations. At present, 2,600-plus soldiers are still on missions in Africa and the Middle East. Since December 2008, China has dispatched 24 navy fleets to escort as many as 6,900 domestic and foreign commercial vessels within the Gulf of Aden and Somalian waters. The participation of China's armed forces in these international military tasks underlines the country's resolution to enhance the transparency of Chinese troops, and to make the world better understand China, its armed forces, and military reforms.
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