China rolls out military roadmap of ''active defence'' strategy

Beijing, May 26

China issued its first white paper on military strategy on Tuesday, stressing the "active defence" guideline and pledging closer international security cooperation.

The strategy adheres to the unity of strategic defense and operational and tactical offense, according to the white paper "China's Military Strategy" issued by the State Council Information Office, reports Xinhua.

"We will not attack unless we are attacked, but we will surely counterattack if attacked," the paper says.

China, which claims most of the South China Sea, criticised Washington after a US spy plane flew over areas near the reefs last week, with both sides accusing each other of stoking instability in the region.

It has overlapping claims with the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei in the South China Sea, through which $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year.

Yang Yujun, a spokesman for the Ministry of Defence, said in a briefing on Tuesday China's reclamation activities in the Spratly archipelago were comparable with construction of homes and roads on its mainland.

"From the perspective of sovereignty, there is absolutely no difference," he said.

He said some countries with "ulterior motives" had unfairly characterised China's military presence and sensationalised the issue. Surveillance activities in the region were increasingly common, and China would continue to take "necessary measures" to respond, Yang said.

"Some external countries are also busy meddling in South China Sea affairs; a tiny few maintain constant close-in air and sea surveillance and reconnaissance against China," the strategy paper said in a thinly veiled reference to the United States.

It also said China's air force would shift its focus from territorial air defence to both offence and defence, and building airspace defences with stronger military capabilities.

In line with the evolving form of war and national security situation, the basic point for preparation for military struggle of China's armed forces will be placed on "winning informationised local wars," according to the paper.

The armed forces will strengthen international security cooperation in areas crucially related to China's overseas interests, the paper says.

The paper highlights four "critical security domains", including the ocean, the outer space, cyberspace and nuclear force.

The PLA Navy will gradually shift its focus from the sole strategy of "offshore waters defence" to the combined one of "offshore waters defence" and "open seas protection", the paper says.

The country would speed up the development of a cyber force to tackle "grave security threats" to its cyber infrastructure, it says.

It opposes weaponisation of and arms race in outer space and vows to secure its space assets.

The country will never enter into a nuclear arms race with any other country, according to the paper. China also pledges to provide more public security goods and contribute more to world peace.  Agencies