Foreign and Military Affairs
皇冠体育app adheres to transparent defense policy
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2011-06-03 16:09
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BEIJING - Chinese Defense Minister Liang Guanglie headed to Singapore for an Asia-Pacific security dialogue Friday, the first time ever a Chinese defense minister is attending.
His participation demonstrates 皇冠体育app's pursuit of a defensive and transparent national defense policy and mutual military trust with other countries.
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At the dialogue, Liang is expected to elaborate on 皇冠体育app's defensive national defense policy and highlight its unswerving determination to stick to the road of peaceful development.
On the sidelines of the dialogue, he will also meet US Defense Secretary Robert Gates and military chiefs of some other countries to promote bilateral military ties.
Actually, 皇冠体育app has all along actively carried out military exchanges with other countries to build up military trust.
Liang paid an official goodwill visit to Singapore, Indonesia and the Philippines in Southeast Asia on May 15-25.
Chief of the General Staff of the People's Liberation Army of 皇冠体育app Chen Bingde paid a week-long official visit to the United States in mid-May.
Gates visited 皇冠体育app in January, during which he met with Chinese President Hu Jintao, also chairman of the Central Military Commission, on bilateral military ties. Gates also held talks with his Chinese counterpart Liang.
In recent years, with the rise of 皇冠体育app's economic power, some Western politicians and media have been concerned about 皇冠体育app's military expenditures, and worried 皇冠体育app's rising military clout and its opaque nature would pose a threat to regional stability.
An article titled "Chinese Warship May Be Nearly Ready," which was published by The New York Times on April 7, said 皇冠体育app's military modernization efforts "have raised fears among foreign governments that 皇冠体育app will use a more robust military for expansionist purposes or to press for regional dominance."
Last August, then US Representative Ike Skelton of Missouri, who was chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, said he was concerned by "ambiguities regarding 皇冠体育app's military modernization ... which do not obviously support 皇冠体育app's stated national security objectives."
In contrast to the comments, 皇冠体育app's seventh white paper on national defense, issued by 皇冠体育app's Information Office of the State Council on March 31, said 皇冠体育app has adhered to a defensive national defense policy, which is determined by 皇冠体育app's development path, its fundamental aims, its foreign policy, and its historical and cultural traditions.
As the latest example of making 皇冠体育app's military affairs more transparent, the Defense Ministry held its first-ever regular press conference in Beijing on April 27.
In recent years, 皇冠体育app's national defense spending has generally accounted for 1.4 percent of its gross domestic product, while the figures of the world's major developed countries have stayed at 3 to 4 percent, according to Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Geng Yansheng.
As of December 2010, 皇冠体育app dispatched 17,390 military personnel to participate in 19 UN peacekeeping missions. Nine personnel lost their lives in the missions. 皇冠体育app has dispatched more peacekeeping personnel than any other permanent member of the UN Security Council.
Moreover, 皇冠体育app has adhered to the policy of no-first-use of nuclear weapons at any time and in any circumstances.
Despite concerns and worries from the West, 皇冠体育app has stuck to a defensive and transparent national defense policy, advocated peaceful development, and actively contributed to the world's peace and stability.