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Address to US National Defense University
Chinese defense minister General Chi Haotian said on Dec. 10, 1996 that China follows a "defensive defense policy". Addressing the U.S. National Defense University, General Chi, also vice-chairman of the Chinese Central Military Commission and state councilor, said that China's defense policy consists of four parts:
--The basic goal of China's defense policy is to consolidate national defense, resist foreign aggression, safeguard state sovereignty over territorial land, air and waters and maritime rights and interests and maintain national unity and security. The People's Liberation Army (PLA) of China follows a strategy of "active defense," that is, a principle of defense, self-defense and striking only after being attacked is followed at the strategic level.
--A basic principle for China's defense construction is to subordinate it to, and serve, the country's overall economic program. China has persisted in incorporating defense construction in the overall economic planning of the nation, so that it will meet the needs of both peace and war time, both civilian and military use and both immediate and long-term interests. To subordinate to and serve the country's economic development, China has for years maintained a tight control on its defense expenditure. Since the beginning of the 1980s, though the absolute size of defense appropriations has somewhat increased over the years, its share in both the GNP and state budget has actually shrunk. China's defense appropriations for 1996 were around 70.227 billion yuan (8 billion U.S. dollars).
--The focus of the military work in China is to build a better force with Chinese characteristics. The PLA is required to be a force with a high political standard, high military capability, a fine style of work, strict discipline and strong logistic support. Since 1975, the Chinese military has gone through several rounds of streamlining, reorganization and restructuring, cutting down the size of troops from more than 6 million to less than 3 million today. As for weapon and equipment development, China has, in actively implementing its military strategy of active defense, relied mainly on itself in research and development, supplemented by appropriate import. The modernization level of the weaponry and equipment of Chinese military is still very low. Constrained by limited national strength, China can only improve gradually as its national economy becomes stronger.
-- An important component of China's defense policy is to commit itself to world peace and human progress. Pursuing an independent foreign policy of peace, China does not enter into alliance with any country or group of countries, nor does it participate in any military blocs. China is opposed to any form of hegemonism, power politics and acts of aggression and expansion. It stands for peaceful settlement of differences and disputes between countries through consultations, and against use or threat of force. China has all along stood for effective disarmament and arms control on a fair, reasonable, comprehensive and balanced basis while actively participating in relevant international disarmament and arms control talks and earnestly fulfilling its obligations under the treaties it has signed.
To date, China is the only nuclear power that has undertaken not to be the first to use nuclear weapons under any circumstances and unconditionally not to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear-weapon states. China has also actively participated in U.N. peace-keeping operations, making a positive contribution to world peace and stability.
This
material is produced independently for NTI by the James Martin
Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Monterey Institute of
International Studies and does not necessarily reflect the
opinions of and has not been independently verified by NTI or
its directors, officers, employees, agents. Copyright © 2007 by
MIIS.
