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China reveals its military expenditures
Source: Xinhua |
January 21, 2009, Wednesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
CHINA for the first time has revealed its defense spending over the past 30 years and provided details of its nuclear deterrence strategy.
The information was released yesterday in a major white paper on defense in an apparent effort to win international trust through increased transparency.
"Comparing the figures in the past three decades, people will have a clear picture that the country has maintained a balance between military expenditures and national economic strength," said Wen Bing, a researcher at the Beijing-based Academy of Military Sciences.
Since 1986, the ratio between China's defense spending and its gross domestic product has never exceeded 2 percent, according to the white paper, issued by the Information Office of the State Council.
In 2007, the ratio was 4.5 percent in the United States, 2.7 percent in Britain and 2.57 percent in Russia, the white paper said.
"Although expenditures rose in the past 30 years, they have accounted for an appropriate part of the country's total spending," Wen said.
Military spending rose from 16.78 billion yuan (US$2.43 billion at the current exchange rate) in 1978 to 355.49 billion yuan in 2007.
The paper, the sixth of its kind issued since 1998, gave an overall picture of China's national defense ranging from the security environment to arms control.
"The paper has become a window for the world to understand China and its military," said Ci Guowei, deputy director of the foreign affairs office under the Defense Ministry. In today's new era, the Chinese military will take "a more open approach" to communicating with other militaries to promote world peace, Ci said.
The white paper also spelled out China's "long-standing policy" that the country will not be the first to use nuclear weapons and pointed out that it is not targeting its atomic weaponry at any other country.
"In peacetime, the nuclear weapons of the Second Artillery Force are not aimed at any country," the white paper said.
"But if China comes under a nuclear threat, the nuclear missile force of the Second Artillery Force will go into a state of alert and prepare for a nuclear counterattack to deter the enemy from using nuclear weapons against China," the white paper said.
The Second Artillery Force is China's core force for strategic deterrence.
The white paper also outlined a larger military modernization drive. Vowing to strengthen the military through science and technology, the paper said China was working to "develop new and high-tech weaponry and equipment and build modern information technology and logistics systems.
Describing China's general security situation as "improving steadily," the 105-page document said "the situation across the Taiwan Strait has taken a significantly positive turn."
The paper attributed the improvement to the failed attempts of the separatist forces for "Taiwan independence" and the progress made in cross-Strait consultations.
Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Hu Changming said China has limited deployment of military forces (along the Taiwan Strait) based on fundamental security interests.
"The time when the (mainland's) military deployment is going to be readjusted will be decided in accordance with changes in the situation across the Taiwan Strait," he said.
The paper pointed out that China "is still confronted with long-term, complicated, and diverse security threats and challenges," listing concern over separatist forces of "Taiwan independence," "East Turkistan independence" and "Tibet independence."
The information was released yesterday in a major white paper on defense in an apparent effort to win international trust through increased transparency.
"Comparing the figures in the past three decades, people will have a clear picture that the country has maintained a balance between military expenditures and national economic strength," said Wen Bing, a researcher at the Beijing-based Academy of Military Sciences.
Since 1986, the ratio between China's defense spending and its gross domestic product has never exceeded 2 percent, according to the white paper, issued by the Information Office of the State Council.
In 2007, the ratio was 4.5 percent in the United States, 2.7 percent in Britain and 2.57 percent in Russia, the white paper said.
"Although expenditures rose in the past 30 years, they have accounted for an appropriate part of the country's total spending," Wen said.
Military spending rose from 16.78 billion yuan (US$2.43 billion at the current exchange rate) in 1978 to 355.49 billion yuan in 2007.
The paper, the sixth of its kind issued since 1998, gave an overall picture of China's national defense ranging from the security environment to arms control.
"The paper has become a window for the world to understand China and its military," said Ci Guowei, deputy director of the foreign affairs office under the Defense Ministry. In today's new era, the Chinese military will take "a more open approach" to communicating with other militaries to promote world peace, Ci said.
The white paper also spelled out China's "long-standing policy" that the country will not be the first to use nuclear weapons and pointed out that it is not targeting its atomic weaponry at any other country.
"In peacetime, the nuclear weapons of the Second Artillery Force are not aimed at any country," the white paper said.
"But if China comes under a nuclear threat, the nuclear missile force of the Second Artillery Force will go into a state of alert and prepare for a nuclear counterattack to deter the enemy from using nuclear weapons against China," the white paper said.
The Second Artillery Force is China's core force for strategic deterrence.
The white paper also outlined a larger military modernization drive. Vowing to strengthen the military through science and technology, the paper said China was working to "develop new and high-tech weaponry and equipment and build modern information technology and logistics systems.
Describing China's general security situation as "improving steadily," the 105-page document said "the situation across the Taiwan Strait has taken a significantly positive turn."
The paper attributed the improvement to the failed attempts of the separatist forces for "Taiwan independence" and the progress made in cross-Strait consultations.
Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Hu Changming said China has limited deployment of military forces (along the Taiwan Strait) based on fundamental security interests.
"The time when the (mainland's) military deployment is going to be readjusted will be decided in accordance with changes in the situation across the Taiwan Strait," he said.
The paper pointed out that China "is still confronted with long-term, complicated, and diverse security threats and challenges," listing concern over separatist forces of "Taiwan independence," "East Turkistan independence" and "Tibet independence."
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