White Paper Clarifies Defense Policy

While sticking to its road of peaceful development, China pursues a national defense policy that is defensive in nature, said a government white paper issued by the Information Office of the State Council on March 31.

China seeks to strike a balance between national defense development and economic growth. In this way, it is trying to build powerful armed forces while making the country prosperous, said the white paper, titled China's National Defense in 2010.

At the same time, China is actively engaged in international military exchanges and cooperation to enhance mutual trust with foreign armed forces. The Chinese military also undertakes international obligations to safeguard world peace and stability, the document said.

The white paper defined the goals and tasks of China's national defense as "safeguarding national sovereignty, security and interests of national development," "maintaining social harmony and stability," "accelerating the modernization of national defense and the armed forces" and "maintaining world peace and stability."

In recent years, the share of China's annual defense expenditure in its GDP has remained relatively steady, while that in overall state fiscal expenditure has moderately decreased, the white paper said. China's defense budget for 2010 was 532.115 billion yuan ($81.29 billion), up 7.5 percent over 2009. The growth rate, however, was lower than in 2009.

China's defense expenditure was 417.876 billion yuan ($63.84 billion) in 2008 and 495.11 billion yuan ($75.63 billion) in 2009, up 17.5 percent and 18.5 percent respectively over the previous year.

China's GDP was 31.4045 trillion yuan ($4.8 trillion) in 2008 and 34.0903 trillion yuan ($5.21 trillion) in 2009. State fiscal expenditure was 6.259266 trillion yuan ($956.18 billion) in 2008 and 7.629993 trillion yuan ($1.17 trillion) in 2009, up 25.7 percent and 21.9 percent respectively over the previous year.

China's defense expenditure mainly comprises expenses for personnel, training and maintenance, and equipment, with each accounting for roughly one third of the total, the white paper said.

In the past two years, the increase in China's defense expenditure has been used primarily for the following purposes:

• Improving support conditions for the troops: Along with the economic and social development and the improvement of people's living standards, the People's Liberation Army has adjusted servicemen's salaries and allowances; increased funding for education and training; expanded water and electricity supplies and heating; upgraded logistics support for grassroots units in a comprehensive and coordinated way; and improved the on-duty, training and living conditions of border and coastal defense forces and units in remote areas and harsh environments.

• Accomplishing diverse military tasks: China has increased investment in improving capabilities of carrying out military operations other than war, in supporting earthquake rescue and disaster relief operations, in escort operations in the Gulf of Aden and waters off Somalia, in flood control and emergency rescue operations, and in international rescue operations.

• Pushing forward the revolution in military affairs with Chinese characteristics. In view of the upward trend in purchasing prices and maintenance costs, China has increased moderately the funds for hi-tech weaponry and equipment and their supporting facilities.

The mainland's military deployment did not target compatriots in Taiwan, said Geng Yansheng, a spokesman of the Ministry of National Defense, at a March 31 press conference of the State Council Information Office.

"The two sides of the Taiwan Straits are destined to ultimate reunification in the course of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation," the white paper said. "It is the responsibility of the Chinese people on both sides of the Straits to work hand in hand to end the history of hostility, and to avoid repeating the history of armed conflict between fellow countrymen. The two sides should take a positive attitude toward the future, and strive to create favorable conditions to gradually resolve, through consultation on an equal footing, both issues inherited from the past and new ones that emerge in the development of cross-Straits relations."

While China has yet to be reunified, the two sides may discuss political relations "in a pragmatic manner," the document said. They can conduct contacts and exchanges on military issues at an appropriate time. They can also discuss establishing a military security mechanism of mutual trust, which will enable both sides to take joint measures to further stabilize cross-Straits relations and ease concerns over military security. They should hold consultations based on the One China principle to formally end hostilities and reach a peace agreement.


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