SCIO briefing on White Paper on China's Military Strategy
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E-mail China.org.cn, May 26, 2015
China News Service:
Since the 1990's, the Chinese government has published several comprehensive white papers on national defense and one on the diversified use of its armed forces. What are the differences between this white paper and the previous ones?
Yang Yujun:
That's quite true. Since 1998, we have published seven comprehensive white papers on national defense; in 2013, we published a featured defense white paper – "The Diversified Application of China's Armed Forces." The previous white papers focused on exhibiting China's defense policies and displaying China's military construction along with its achievements. If you read them, you will find they were more reviews and summaries of this work in the past, although they did contain briefings on the basic principles and requirements of China's defense policies.
The white paper published today focuses more on the strategic development of China's military at present and in the period to come, therefore this white paper is very forward-thinking. There are three specific characteristics of the paper.
First, innovation. This white paper is China's first-ever national defense white paper that systematically dwells on the country's military strategies, and it highlights the latest achievements in China's military strategic theories and practices.
Second, strategy. Revolving around the country's strategic objective, the CPC's demand for a strong military and its comprehensive outlook for national security under new circumstances, the white paper is centered on the conditions of China's security situation, its military's missions and strategic tasks, the strategic guidelines for active defense, the construction and development of military strength, and the preparations for military conflict, among other major strategic issues.
Third, comprehensiveness. Military strategies are governing all. A line in China's "Art of War" reads, "Those have no full picture in mind are unable to seize a region." The content of this white paper covers all aspects concerning the Chinese military's development and its preparations for military conflict. For example, this white paper mentions how to respond to traditional security threats and non-traditional security threats; it mentions the army, navy, air force, the second artillery force, and the armed police force; it mentions security concerning the sea, space, cyberspace, and nuclear weapons. Therefore, I think if you read this white paper, you will understand the path and direction of the development of China's armed forces.
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