Fuss over navy unwarranted

But it still does not have an aircraft carrier in service. It is not as strong as some other countries' navies, which tilts the sea power balance against China.

That's why China needs to develop its navy. But some Western media outlets distort its intention. China has to strengthen its navy not for overseas expansion or establish maritime hegemony, but to balance the sea power structure to better safeguard its national security and development, as well as to contribute to world peace and regional stability and prosperity.

China is the only permanent UN Security Council member not having an aircraft carrier. Some media outlets take it for granted that the US, Russia, Britain and France have to have fleets of aircraft carriers. They don't raise a hue and cry over Spain, Brazil, India and even Thailand having aircraft carriers. But when it comes to China, they use their "China threat" theory to generate a tsunami. If this is not double standard, what is?

Some Western think tanks and media outlets suspect, without reason though, that China's fast and sustained growth and growing military capability is aimed at rearranging the global strategic and geo-political framework. They falsely assume that China's economic resilience during the global financial crisis is a threat to the West. This fear psychosis prevents them from judging the issues objectively.

Given China's economic growth, it is natural for it to modernize its military. China is being no different from other countries. But its development path, foreign policy, history and culture ensure that its defense policy is and will always be defensive. Those who read too much into China's military modernization turn a blind eye to facts.

China will never veer from the road of peaceful development and global harmony. China believes in resolving disputes through non-military means, and it will not be the first to attack another country. No matter how developed China becomes, it will never try to establish hegemony, or engage in military expansion, or pursue the "gunboat policy" of some Western countries.

Territorial disputes between China and neighboring countries do exist. But China has not used and will never use military power as a bargaining chip to pressure other countries. It will always insist on resolving disputes through peaceful dialogue.

Experience shows that instead of being threatened, neighboring countries have benefited substantially from China's rise and increasing global influence in recent years.

China has sent its troops abroad either to carry out UN peacekeeping missions or escort merchant ships and UN agencies' vessels in the Gulf of Aden and the waters off Somalia. These are China's contributions to regional and global peace, security and prosperity, not a threat to other countries.

China's fast economic growth has created opportunities for the region and the world. Similarly, its growing military strength is bound to make unprecedented contributions to regional and world peace, stability and prosperity.

The author is a rear admiral and former director of the Institute for Strategic Studies at the People's Liberation Army National Defense University.

(China Daily 05/05/2011 page9)

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