| China's National Defense in 2000 | |||||||
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2004/05/20
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I. The Security Situation II.National Defense Policy III.National Defense Construction IV. Armed Forces Building V. International Security Cooperation VI. Arms Control and Disarmament The turn of the century has opened a new chapter in the development of human society. When we look back on the twentieth century we notice that mankind created enormous material and spiritual wealth never seen before. We also experienced two world wars, hundreds of local wars and the Cold War that lasted for nearly half a century, suffering tremendously from the scourge of wars or the menace of wars. The Chinese nation has gone through many hardships. The Chinese people have fought bravely for their national independence, liberation, democracy and freedom. They have finally brought the country onto the road toward modernization. The Chinese people know full well the value of peace. Humanity is facing a rare chance for development as well as tough challenges in the new century. To safeguard world peace and promote the development of all are the themes of the times and the common aspirations of people all over the world. China is engaged wholeheartedly in its modernization drive. A peaceful international environment and a favorable surrounding environment serve China's fundamental interests. China steadfastly follows an independent foreign policy of peace and is committed to a new world of peace, stability, prosperity and development. China firmly pursues a defensive national defense policy and is determined to safeguard its state sovereignty, national unity, territorial integrity and security. The Chinese people are ready to work together with other peace-loving people of the world and contribute their wisdom and strength to world peace and development, and a more beautiful future for mankind. At this important point in history --the turn of the century --we publish this white paper, China's National Defense in 2000, to express the Chinese people's sincere aspirations for peace and to help the rest of the world better understand China's national defense policy and its efforts for the modernization of its national defense. Peace and development remain the two major themes in today's world. The trend toward multi-polarity and economic globalization is gaining momentum, and the international security situation, in general, continues to tend toward relaxation. Relations among big powers are complicated, with many interwoven contradictions and frictions. However, drawing on each other's strength, cooperating with and checking and constraining each other remain a basic feature of their relationship. The vast number of developing countries, with great potential for growth, are an important force in promoting the establishment of a fair and reasonable new international order, and in safeguarding world peace and development. Science and technology are making progress with each passing day, and economic ties between countries have become ever stronger. Economic development, scientific and technological innovation, and the growth of aggregate national strength remain the priorities for many countries. Worldwide, the forces for peace are prevailing over the forces for war. A new world war will not break out for a fairly long time to come. The security situation in the Asia-Pacific region has been on the whole stable. Many Asian countries, particularly the East Asian countries, have tided over the financial crisis and their economies are steadily recovering with bright prospects. It is the policy options of most countries to rejuvenate their economies, and enhance dialogue and cooperation. They will continue to develop state-to-state relations in accordance with such principles as sovereign equality and non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries. A number of countries have consistently stood for peaceful settlement of disputes, and engaged themselves in security dialogues in a variety of forms, at different levels and through different channels. All this has helped enhance mutual understanding and trust. The cooperation among ASEAN, China, Japan and the Republic of Korea (10+3) is steadily developing in the economic and financial field. The tense situation on the Korean Peninsula is markedly easing off. China and Viet Nam have signed a land border treaty. The situation in the South China Sea remains generally stable. However, in today's world, factors that may cause instability and uncertainty have markedly increased. The world is far from peaceful. There is a serious disequilibrium in the relative strength of countries. No fundamental change has been made in the old, unfair and irrational international political and economic order. Hegemonism and power politics still exist and are developing further in the international political, economic and security spheres. Certain big powers are pursuing "neo-interventionism," "neo-gunboat policy" and neo-economic colonialism, which are seriously damaging the sovereignty, inde-pendence and developmental interests of many countries, and threat-ening world peace and security. The United Nations' authority and role in handling international and regional security affairs are being seriously challenged. Under the pretexts of "humanitarianism" and "human rights," some countries have frequently resorted to the use or threat of force, in flagrant violation of the UN Charter and other uni-versally recognized principles governing international relations. In particular, the NATO, by-passing the UN Security Council, launched military attacks against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, producing an extremely negative impact on the international situation and relations between countries. A series of negative developments have occurred in the area of arms control and disarmament. In particular, a certain country is still continuing its efforts to develop and introduce the National Missile Defense (NMD) and Theater Missile Defense (TMD) systems, which have undermined the international community's efforts to stem the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and to promote disarmament. As modern science and technology and economic globalization continue to develop, competition among countries has become fiercer than ever before. Financial and economic risks are increasing, and economic security has become a concern for all countries. As the gap in development and the disparity between rich and poor countries continue to widen all over the world, particu-larly between the South and North, polarization has become an increasingly serious problem. Local wars and armed conflicts have increased again, with conflicts and turbulence caused by ethnic, religious, territorial, resources or other factors cropping up one after the other. Some countries have continued to enlarge military blocs, strengthen military alliances and seek greater military superiority. This has seriously affected world security and stability. Divisive, terrorist and extremist forces of every description have continued to endanger the international community, and global problems such as the environment, narcotic drugs and refugees have become increasingly prominent. There are new negative developments in the security of the Asia-Pacific region. The United States is further strengthening its military presence and bilateral military alliances in this region, advocating the development of the TMD system and planning to deploy it in East Asia. Japan has passed a bill relating to measures in the event of a situation in the areas surrounding Japan. All this goes against the tide of the times. Joint military exercises have increased in the region, to the detriment of trust between countries. The uncertain factors af3fecting security on the Korean Peninsula continue to exist, and the situation in South Asia remains unstable. Encroachments on China's sovereignty and interests in the South China Sea are not infrequent, and some extra-regional countries are attempting to interfere in this issue. The Taiwan Straits situation is complicated and grim. Lee Tenghui flagrantly dished out his "two states" theory in an attempt to split the country. The new leaders of the Taiwan authorities have adopted an evasive and obscure attitude to the one-China principle. Separatist forces in Taiwan are scheming to split the island province from China, in one form or another. This has seriously undermined the preconditions and foundation for peaceful reunification across the Straits. This is the root cause of tension across the Taiwan Straits. The United States has never stopped selling advanced weapons to Taiwan. Some people in the United States have been trying hard to get the Congress to pass the so-called Taiwan Security Enhancement Act. And some are even attempting to incorporate Taiwan into the US TMD system. The newly revised Guidelines for US-Japan Defense Cooperation has failed to explicitly undertake to exclude Taiwan from the scope of "the areas surrounding Japan" referred to in the Japanese security bill that could involve military intervention. These actions have inflated the arrogance of the separatist forces in Taiwan, seriously undermined China's sovereignty and security and imperiled the peace and stability of the Asia-Pacific region. The world is undergoing profound changes which require the discard of the Cold War mentality and the development of a new security concept and a new international political, economic and security order responsive to the needs of our times. The core of the new security concept should be mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality and cooperation. The UN Charter, the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and other universally recognized principles governing international relations should serve as the political basis for safeguarding peace while mutually beneficial cooperation and common prosperity its economic guarantee. To conduct dialogue, consultation and negotiation on an equal footing is the right way to solve disputes and safeguard peace. Only by developing a new security concept and establishing a fair and reasonable new international order can world peace and security be fundamentally guaranteed. China's fundamental interests lie in its domestic development and stability, the peace and prosperity of its surrounding regions, and the establishment and maintenance of a new regional security order based on the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence. China will continue to develop friendly relations and cooperation with all other countries. It will make unswerving efforts to safeguard and promote the peace, stability, prosperity and development of the Asia-Pacific region in particular and the world in general. China pursues a national defense policy that is defensive in nature. The Constitution of the People's Republic of China (PRC) and the National Defense Law of the PRC, which is enacted in accordance with the Constitution, specify the tasks of the armed forces of the PRC as being to consolidate national defense, resist aggression, defend the motherland, safeguard the people's peaceful labor, participate in national construction and serve the people wholeheartedly. China has always attached primary importance to safeguarding state sovereignty, unity, territorial integrity and security, and has been working hard for a peaceful international and a favorable peripheral environment for China's socialist modernization drive. The development and powerfulness of China will constitute no threat to anyone, but will rather promote the world peace, stability and development. Never to seek hegemony is the Chinese people's solemn pledge to the world. China's defense policy has the following main aspects: --Consolidating national defense, resisting aggression, curbing armed subversion, and defending state sovereignty, unity, territorial integrity and security. China's efforts in defense modernization are purely for self-defense. China spares no effort to avoid and curb war, and to solve international disputes and questions left over by history through peaceful means. However, in view of the fact that hegemonism and power politics still exist and are further developing, and in particular, the basis for the country's peaceful reunification is seriously imperiled, China will have to enhance its capability to defend its sovereignty and security by military means. --Building and consolidating national defense independently and through self-reliance. China stresses self-reliance as the basis for safeguarding state security, and insists on making national defense policies and development strategies independently. China does not seek alliance with any country or bloc of countries, nor does it participate in any military bloc. China builds its defense science, technology and industry and develops its weaponry through self-reliance. --Implementing the military strategy of active defense. Strategically, China pursues a principle featuring defensive operations, self-defense and gaining mastery by striking only after the enemy has struck. Such defense combines efforts to deter war with preparations to win self-defense wars in time of peace, and strategic defense with operational and tactical offensive operations in time of war. While basing them-selves on existing weaponry and carrying forward their fine traditions, China's armed forces seek to adapt to profound changes in the world's military sphere, and prepare for de-fensive operations under modern, especially high-tech, conditions. --Building a lean and strong military force the Chinese way. In line with the general requirements of being qualified politically, competent militarily, and having a fine work style, a strong sense of discipline and adequate logistical support, the Chinese armed forces strive to strengthen their overall development and form a revolutionized, modernized and regularized people's army with Chinese characteristics. China adheres to building the armed forces by enhancing their quality, strengthening the armed forces by relying on science and technology, and managing the armed forces according to law, and is endeavoring to transform its armed forces from a numerically superior to a qualitatively superior type, and from a manpower-intensive to a technology-intensive type, as well as to train high-quality military personnel and improve the modernization level of weaponry in order to comprehensively enhance the armed forces' combat effectiveness. --Combining the armed forces with the people and practicing self-defense by the whole people. China adheres to the concept of people's war under modern conditions, and exercises the combination of a streamlined standing army with a powerful reserve force for national defense. The reserve force and militia are maintained at an appropriate scale, with an optimized structure and an enhanced level of training. In the light of the principle of combining peacetime footing with wartime footing and the army with the people, and having reserve soldiers among the people, China works hard to popularize and promote defense education, perfect the defense mobilization system and enhance the defense mobilization capacity. --Subordinating national defense to, and placing it in the service of, the nation's overall economic construction, and achieving their coordinated development. Developing the economy and strengthening national defense are two strategic tasks in China's modernization efforts. The Chinese government insists that economic development be taken as the center, while defense work be subordinate to and in the service of the nation's overall economic construction. Meanwhile, along with economic development, the state strives to enhance its national defense strength, to effec2tively support the armed forces in their efforts to improve their quality and to form a mechanism which enables national defense and economic development to promote each other and develop in harmony. --Safeguarding world peace, and opposing aggression and expansion. China resolutely opposes hegemonism and power politics, and combats the policies of war, aggression and expansion. China also objects to any country imposing in any form its own political system and ideology on other countries. China does not seek military expansion, nor does it station troops or set up military bases in any foreign country. China opposes arms race, and supports the international community in its efforts to promote world and regional peace, security and stability. China possesses a small number of nuclear weapons entirely for self-defense. China undertakes not to be the first to use nuclear weapons, and not to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear-weapon states. China does not participate in any nuclear arms race, and never deploys any nuclear weapons beyond its borders. China maintains a small but effective nuclear counterattacking force in order to deter possible nuclear attacks by other countries. Any such attack will inevitably result in a retaliatory nuclear counterstrike by China. China has always kept the number of its nuclear weapons at a low level. The scale, composition and development of China's nuclear force are in line with China's military strategy of active defense. China's nuclear force is under the direct command of the Central Military Commission (CMC). China is extremely cautious and responsible in the management of its nuclear weapons, and has established strict rules and regulations and taken effective measures to ensure the safety and security of its nuclear weapons. Settlement of the Taiwan issue and realization of the complete re-unification of China embodies the fundamental interests of the Chinese nation. The Chinese government upholds the basic principle of "peaceful reunification, and one country, two systems" for settling the Taiwan issue, carrying forward the eight propositions on the development of relations between the two sides of the Taiwan Straits and the promotion of the peaceful reunification of China. The Chinese government has consistently adhered to the one-China principle and will never give in or compromise on the fundamental issues concerning state sovereignty and territorial integrity. The change of the Taiwan regional leaders can not change the fact that Taiwan is a part of Chinese territory. Settlement of the Taiwan issue is entirely an internal affair of China. The Chinese government firmly opposes any country selling arms to Taiwan, or entering into military alliances in any form with Taiwan, as well as outside interference in any way. The Chinese government will do its utmost to achieve peaceful reunification, and advocates settling differences through dialogues and negotiations on the basis of the one-China principle. However, if a grave turn of events occurs leading to the separation of Taiwan from China in any name, or if Taiwan is invaded and occupied by foreign countries, or if the Taiwan authorities refuse, sine die, the peaceful settlement of cross-Straits reunification through negotiations, then the Chinese government will have no choice but to adopt all drastic measures possible, including the use of force, to safeguard China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and achieve the great cause of reunification. The "Taiwan independence" means provoking war again, and fomenting splits means relinquishing peace across the Straits. The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) unswervingly takes the will of the state as its supreme will and the national interests as its supreme interests. It has the absolute determination, confidence, ability and means to safeguard state sovereignty and territorial integrity, and will never tolerate, condone or remain indifferent to the realization of any scheme to divide the motherland. Structure and Organization of the Armed Forces The armed forces of the PRC are composed of the PLA, both the active and reserve components, the Chinese People's Armed Police Force and the militia. The CMC of the PRC directs and assumes unified command of the nation's armed forces. The Ministry of National Defense under the State Council directs and administers national defense work. The active components of the PLA are the country's standing army, which mainly undertake the task of defensive military operations, and help to maintain social order, if necessary, in accordance with the law. Its basic organizational structures can be categorized into the general headquarters/departments, the services and arms and the military area commands. --The general headquarters/departments. The PLA's general headquarters/departments system is composed of the General Staff Headquarters, the General Political Department, the General Logistics Department and the General Armaments Department, which are placed under the leadership of the CMC. The CMC, through these four general headquarters/departments, directs and commands all the military area commands and the services and arms. The routine work of the Ministry of National Defense is handled, respectively, by these four general headquarters/departments. The General Staff Headquarters is the leading organ of all military work of the nation's armed forces. It organizes and leads the military construction of the nation's armed forces, and organizes and commands their military operations. Under it there are departments in charge of operations, intelligence, training, adjutant and force structure, mobilization, etc. The General Political Department is the leading organ of all political work of the nation's armed forces. It administers the armed forces' Party work, and organizes their political work. Under it there are departments in charge of Party affairs, personnel, publicity, security, etc. The General Logistics Department organizes and directs the armed forces' logistics construction and logistical support. Under it there are departments in charge of financial affairs, quartermaster, health administration, military transportation, materials and POLs, capital construction and barracks, auditing, etc. The General Armaments Department organizes and directs the weaponry and equipment construction work of the armed forces. Under it there are departments in charge of planning; armaments for Navy, military aviation and strategic equipment; Army equipment research, development and procurement; general equipment support; electronics and information infrastructure, equipment and technology cooperation, etc. --The services and arms. The PLA is composed of three services --the Army, Navy and Air Force --and an independent arm, the Second Artillery Force. The Army has such arms as the infantry, artillery, armor, engineering, communications, anti-chemical warfare and Army aviation, as well as other specialized units. The Navy has such arms as the surface, submarine, naval aviation, coastal defense and marine corps, as well as other specialized units. The Air Force has such arms as the aviation, surface-to-air missile and antiaircraft artillery, radar, and airborne, as well as other specialized units. The Second Artillery Force is composed of the strategic missile, conventional missile, and other specialized units. --The military area commands. The military area commands (theaters of war) of the PLA are military organizations set up according to the state's administrative divisions, geo-graphical locations, strategic and operational orientations, and operational tasks. Under each military area command are a number of Army combined corps, units of various arms, logistical support units, and provincial or garrison commands. Their major functions include organizing and coordinating the joint operations and exercises of the ground, naval and air forces in each military area; exercising direct leadership over Party affairs, military training, administration, political work, logistical and armaments support of the Army units under its jurisdiction; and directing the militia, military service, mobilization, civil air defense and battlefield construction work in the military area. At present, the PLA has seven military area commands, namely, Shenyang, Beijing, Lanzhou, Jinan, Nanjing, Guangzhou and Chengdu. The PLA has the Academy of Military Science (AMS), the National Defense University (NDU), and the National University of Defense Technology (NUDT). The AMS is the PLA's highest-level research institute and center of military science. The NDU and the NUDT are the two institutions of higher learning directly under the CMC. The former is mainly responsible for the education and training of senior commanding and staff officers and researchers, while the latter is mainly responsible for the education and training of senior scientists and engineers, and specialized commanding officers. The PLA's reserve force is a force with its preset organizational structure, with the reserve personnel as the base and active personnel as the backbone. The reserve force, which is incorporated into the PLA's order of battle, receives military training in peacetime according to relevant regulations, and helps to maintain social order, if necessary, in accordance with the law. In wartime, it may be called into active service in pursuance of a state mobilization order. The Chinese People's Armed Police Force undertakes the task of maintenance of security entrusted by the state. It is under the dual leadership of the State Council and the CMC, and consists of internal security forces, and gold mine, forest, water and power, and transportation security forces. The militia is a component of the state's armed forces. The militiamen and women, under the command of military organs, perform combat readiness support and defensive operations, and help to maintain social order. The General Staff Headquarters is in charge of nationwide militia work. Each military area command is responsible for the militia work under its jurisdiction. Each provincial command exercises leadership and command over the militia in its region. Mobilization and Education The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) decides on general or partial mobilization, and the State Council and the CMC jointly direct mobilization preparation and implementation. In November 1994, the State Commission for National Defense Mobilization was established. The Commission is a consultant and coordinating body in charge of nationwide defense mobilization under the leadership of the State Council and the CMC. Its major tasks are to carry out the military strategy of active defense, organize and implement the state's defense mobilization, and coordinate the relations between economic and military affairs, the armed forces and the government, and manpower and materials support in defense mobilization, so as to enhance national defense strength and the ability to shift from a peacetime to a wartime footing. In peacetime the state conducts mobilization preparation and integrates mobilization of the armed forces, the national economy, civil air defense, national defense transportation and other fields into the state's overall development plan and program. Mobilization of the armed forces entails the measures and actions taken by the state to turn the armed forces from a peacetime to a wartime footing. Mobilization of the national economy entails the measures and actions taken by the state, in a well-organized and planned way, to shift the economic sectors and related institutions from a peacetime to a wartime footing. The major tasks of civil air defense mobilization include the directing, building and management of civil air defense projects; command, communications and warning systems, and evacuation areas; the protection of key economic targets; the conduct of civil air defense publicity and education; and the management of civil air defense funds and assets. The Air Defense Law of the PRC went into force on January 1, 1997. Defense transportation mobilization provides organizational, material and technological support to transportation and communications and construction during peacetime, and organizes and implements transportation and communications support during wartime. All the state organs and armed forces, all political parties and mass organizations, and all enterprises, institutions and citizens, must fulfill the mobilization obligations during peacetime according to regulations stipulated by laws, and fulfill the prescribed mobilization tasks after the state has proclaimed a mobilization order. At present, in line with the principle of combining a peacetime with a wartime footing and the military with the civilian sectors, and having reserve soldiers among the people, China continues to perfect its defense mobilization system, strengthen its mobilization potential and capacity, and promote the modernization of defense mobilization work. China's defense education is guided by the principle which com-bines regular education with intensive education, universal education with advanced education, and textbook education with conduct education. Education in defense theories, spirit, and knowledge and skills is provided for all citizens. This aims to improve the citizens' under-standing and knowledge of national defense, to develop their spirit of patriotism and to help them perform defense duties conscientiously. According to the National Defense Law of the PRC, all state organs and armed forces, all political parties and mass organizations, and all enterprises and institutions are responsible for organizing and carrying out defense education in their respective regions, departments or units. The state and society at large launch defense education and publicity activities in various forms using mass media and other means. The armed forces make use of their military museums, military history exhibitions, halls of fame and memorial halls of heroes as bases for patriotism and defense education among the people. Schools and colleges, with the assistance of military organs, offer appropriate defense courses according to their levels and types, or add defense education to related courses. The state has made national defense education part of the education of the whole people, gradually bringing it into a socialized, diversified, regularized and institutionalized pattern. Defense Expenditure The Chinese government has consistently stuck to the principle of strict control, management and supervision of defense spending. It has established a complete administrative and regulatory system. China's defense budget and final accounts are examined and approved by the NPC. The state and armed forces' auditing organs exercise auditing and supervision of the total defense budget, itemized budgets and the budgets for various departments, as well as the entire process of execution of these budgets. China's defense expenditure falls into the following categories: personnel expenses, costs for maintenance of activities, and costs for equipment. Personnel expenses mainly cover the pay, food and clothing of officers, non-ranking cadres, enlisted men and civilian employees. Costs for maintenance of activities mainly cover training, construction and maintenance of facilities and running expenses. Costs for equipment mainly cover research, experimentation, procurement, maintenance, transportation and storage. China's defense expenditure covers not only the active forces, but also the militia and reserve forces. Support for some retired officers, the education of the children of military personnel, and other social spendings are also provided in the defense expenditure. China's annual defense expenditures in 1998 and 1999 were RMB 93.47 billion yuan and 107.67 billion yuan, respectively, and that for 2000 is RMB 121.29 billion yuan (see Table below). The annual increase in defense expenses went or will go for the most part to cover the increased spending for carrying out their routine duties and operations after the armed forces have ceased commercial activities; increased spending for the placement of retired officers and their pensions; increased spending for pay and subsidy raises for military personnel to keep their living standards in step with the nation's social and economic development and with the increase of the per capita in-comes of urban and rural residents; and increased spending for maintaining a garrison in Macao.
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