China's Independent Foreign Policy of Peace | Relations With Major Powers  |  Relations With Neighboring Countries  |Relations With Developing Countries| China's Military Diplomacy in 2003

In 2003, China's military diplomacy was very active. According to statistics released by the Foreign Affairs Office of the Ministry of Defense, the Chinese People's Liberation Army carried out more than 100 important military exchange projects in 2003, including visits to more than 50 countries and reception of 68 important foreign delegations headed by defense ministers and commanders-in-chief of armed forces from more than 50 countries.

Defense Minister's Visits to the United States and Russia From October 27 to November 2, 2003, Defense Minister Cao Gangchuan visited the United States. In Washington, Cao made the first visit to the Pentagon by a Chinese defense minister in seven years, marking full resumption of the Sino-U.S. military exchanges that had been suspended due to the midair collision incident in 2001. In December, Minister Cao visited Russia, helping to deepen the Sino-Russian strategic partnership of cooperation.

The military relations between China and EU countries have made great progress in 2003, with the successful visit of French defense minister to China as an important symbol. Apart from this, Indian defense minister visited China for the first time in 10 years, and Japanese defense chief visited China after a five-year absence. Military leaders of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Thailand also visited China, ushering in a new situation in China's military relations with neighboring countries.

Joint Military Exercise of Shanghai Cooperation Organization On August 6-12, 2003, Shanghai Cooperation Organization member countries held a joint anti-terrorist military maneuver coded "Coalition-2003," the first multilateral military drill within the framework of the organization. The operation demonstrated the China-initiated new security concept of mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality and cooperation.

In late October and mid-November, the Chinese navy held joint marine rescue exercises with navies of Pakistan and India, respectively. In addition, China invited military observers from 15 countries for the first time to watch a live ammunition exercise of troops of the Beijing Military Area Command of the People's Liberation Army in late August. At the same time, China also dispatched military delegations to watch military maneuvers of Russia, France, the United States, Thailand, Singapore and other countries.

China's Intensified Participation in Peacekeeping Missions On April 1, China sent an engineering company of 175 soldiers and a medical team of 43 people to the war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo to join the UN peacekeeping forces. This is the second time China has sent a detachment of military personnel to participate in a UN-sponsored overseas peacekeeping mission since that in Cambodia in 1992-93. In December, Chinese peacekeeping forces including a 240-person transportation company, a 275-person sapper company and a 35-person hospital were sent to Liberia.

Active Participation in International Arms Control and Multilateral Nuke Check On March 13, 2003, a traffic accident in Baghdad claimed the life of 38-year-old Chinese weapons inspector Yu Jianxing, who went to Iraq for the second time to take part in the UN nuclear inspection mission. Since the UN started nuclear inspection in Iraq in 1991, China has sent 26 experts to the country to participate in the mission at the invitation of the UN. At the moment, Chinese arms experts also work for the UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission, participating in nuclear, chemical and biological weapons and missiles inspections in the arms control area.