SCIO briefing on China's national defense
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E-mail China.org.cn, July 25, 2019
Wu Qian:
Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. Today, the white paper "China's National Defense in the New Era" makes its debut to the world. It is the 10th white paper on national defense that the Chinese government has issued since 1998 and the first comprehensive one since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in 2012. The white paper "China's National Defense in the New Era" is issued to expound on China's defensive national defense policy and explain the practice, purposes and significance of China's efforts to build a fortified national defense and a strong military, with a view to helping the international community better understand China's national defense, and to promote multinational cooperation and mutual trust.
The white paper consists of around 27,000 Chinese characters, including preface, main body, concluding remarks and appendices. The main body of the white paper is divided into six sections: the international security situation; China's defensive national policy in the new era; fulfilling the missions and tasks of China's armed forces in the new era; reform in China's national defense and armed forces; reasonable and appropriate defense expenditure; and actively contributing to building a community with a shared future for mankind. A total of ten tables are included in the appendices to introduce the functional organs of the Central Military Commission (CMC), the structure of China's defense expenditure, all major joint exercises and training by the PLA and PAP with foreign counterparts since 2012, and UN Peacekeeping Operations that the PLA have participated in, just to name a few.
The main body of the white paper "China's National Defense in the New Era" consists of the following six aspects:
1. An objective analysis of the international and domestic security situation. The white paper notes that the world today is undergoing profound changes unseen in a century, and there are prominent destabilizing factors and uncertainties in international security. International strategic competition is on the rise, global and regional security issues are on the increase, and the global military competition is intensifying. The world is not yet at a tranquil place. Nevertheless, the pursuit of peace, stability and development has become a universal aspiration of the international community with forces for peace predominating over elements of war. Peace, development and win-win cooperation remain the irreversible trends of the times. The white paper also points out that the national security situation of China remains generally stable, meanwhile China also faces diverse and complex security threats and challenges, especially when considering the acute fight against separatists.
2. As a systematic introduction to China's defensive national defense policy in the new era, the white paper stresses that resolutely safeguarding China's sovereignty, security and development interests is the fundamental goal of China's national defense in the new era. Never seeking hegemony, expansion or spheres of influence is the distinctive feature of China's national defense in the new era. Meanwhile, implementing the military strategic guideline is the main objective for China's national defense in the new era. Continuing to strengthen the military in a Chinese way is the path forward for China's national defense in the new era. China's national defense is of global significance and serves to build a community with a shared future for mankind in a new era.
3. A comprehensive picture of fulfilling the mission and tasks of China's armed forces in the new era. The white paper clarifies the four strategic priorities of the mission of China's armed forces in the new era, which is to provide strategic support for consolidating the leadership of the CPC and its socialist system; to safeguard national sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity; to protect China's overseas interests; and to promote world peace and development. The implementation of China's armed forces is demonstrated through the following seven aspects including safeguarding national territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, maintaining combat readiness, carrying out military training in real combat conditions, safeguarding interests in major security fields, countering terrorism and maintaining stability, protecting China's overseas interests, and participating in disaster rescue and relief.
4. A comprehensive presentation about the historic achievements of reform in national defense and the armed forces. The white paper systematically presents China's armed forces' reform of its leadership and command system, its optimized size, structure and force composition, and the reform of military policies and institutions. It also introduces the reshuffled PLA and PAP troops, as well as the progress made in theoretical and political buildup, military theory, weaponry and equipment, logistics system, showing a brand-new model of China's armed forces after the reform.
5. A multi-dimensional briefing of China's defense expenditure. The white paper introduces the developing trend of China's defense expenditure since reform and opening-up, and thoroughly explains the scale, structure, and usage of China's defense expenditure since 2012, demonstrating its transparency. Besides, the white paper also includes a comparison of defense expenditure in the international context, justifying the reasonable and appropriate nature of China's defense expenditure.
6. An in-depth look into China's armed forces' efforts and their contribution to global peace and building a community with a shared future for mankind. The white paper says that building a community with a shared future for mankind conforms to the trends of the times for peaceful development, and reflects the common aspirations of all peoples throughout the world. China's armed forces' endeavor in this regard is manifested through their contribution in the following five aspects, including resolutely upholding the purposes and principles of the UN Charter; building a new-model of equal security partnership; mutual trust and win-win cooperation; building a regional security cooperation architecture; properly coping with disputes over territory and maritime demarcation; and actively providing international public security goods.
Compared with the previous versions of white papers in this regard, today's white paper features the following innovations:
1. Establishing China's defensive national defense policy in the new era for the first time. The white paper notes that the socialist system of China, the strategic decision to follow the path of peaceful development, peace-led foreign policy and the best of cultural traditions – holding peace and harmony as fundamentals – determine that China will pursue a national defense policy that is defensive in nature. The white paper demonstrates the strategic, stable, and systematic nature of how this is implemented.
2. Putting forward the missions of China's armed forces in the new era for the first time. In the new era, to meet the strategic demands of national security and development, China's armed forces firmly implement the missions and tasks entrusted by the CPC and the people. They endeavor to provide strategic support for consolidating the leadership of the CPC and the socialist system, safeguard national sovereignty, provide unity and territorial integrity, protect China's overseas interests, and promote world peace and development. By introducing the missions and practices of China's armed forces, the white paper justifies the defensive, rightful, and limited implementation of China's armed forces.
3. Pointing out "never seeking hegemony, expansion or spheres of influence" as the distinctive feature of China's national defense in the new era, the development of China's national defense aims to meet its rightful security needs and contribute to the growth of the world's peaceful forces. By policy-based declaration, the white paper shows China's determination of never seeking hegemony, posing threats, nor setting spheres of influence regardless of China's future development.
4. Putting forward for the first time the building of a community with a shared future for mankind to be the global significance of China's national defense in the new era. The white paper explains the internal connections between Chinese dream and the global dream, as well as between China's national defense, its military development and global peace and stability. The white paper reinforces that the development of China's armed forces will not only provide strategic support for the Chinese dream, but also provide powerful positive energy for global peace and stability.
5. Giving an all-round presentation of the historic achievements of deepening reform in national defense and armed forces. The white paper systematically presents the progress of deepening reform in national defense and armed forces in all respects, and in doing so demonstrates the implementation of Xi Jinping's thinking on strengthening the military, and the commitment to building a strong military with Chinese characteristics. By providing a schedule, structure and results of our reforms, the white paper presents a brand-new system and outlook for the Chinese armed forces, showing their effort in building a strong military with Chinese characteristics.
6. We make a comparison of defense expenditure in the international context for the first time. By conducting comparison in the fields of defense expenditure's share in GDP, its ratio of spending to government expenditure, and China's per capita defense expenditure, the white paper justifies the reasonable growth and relatively low spending of China's defense expenditure, compared to other major counties in this regard in 2017. Meanwhile the white paper also notes that 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.
That's all about the introduction to the white paper. Now the floor is open for questions, and please identify your news agency before questions.
Hu Kaihong:
Now, the floor is open to questions. Please identify the media outlet you represent before asking questions.
