Chinese military modernization has made remarkable progress in the new century. The Chinese white papers on national defense published in the past years already have very detailed discussions about Chinese military development. I will focus here only on two questions: First, how to understand the rapid military development; and second, its impact on regional and global security.

How to understand rapid Chinese military development

First, the rapid military development is aimed at better safeguarding national security. Since the end of the Cold War, the international situation on the whole has moved towards relaxation, however, China still faces multiple complicated security threats and challenges. As a result, the task to safeguard national unification, territorial integrity and development interests is extremely arduous. In the past twenty-plus years, the development of pro-independence forces in Taiwan, the outbreak of military crises with the US, the intensification of maritime disputes, the various non-traditional security challenges both at home and abroad and the increasing need to safeguard its overseas interests have become important drivers behind accelerated military development. Besides, the revolution in military affairs led by the US, the various high and new military technologies used by the US in multiple wars, and the rapid development of the US military in new security domains such as missile defense, outer space, and cyberspace have also increased China’s sense of urgency to develop military capabilities and speed up defense modernization.

Second, China develops its military to better carry out more international responsibilities and obligations. With its rise, China, as a responsible big country, has started to undertake more international obligations and made active efforts for regional and world peace and stability. Fulfillment of international responsibilities requires various military capabilities, including that of long-range projection.

Third, the rapid development is a necessary result of economic, scientific and technological progress in China. Defense modernization has always been one of Chinese objectives. In the past decade, the rapid economic and scientific advancement have created important conditions for military development. Actually, it is a universal rule that economy, science and technology facilitate military development. It is true for all countries in the world, big countries in particular.

Fourth, China’s military development has always been guided by a defensive national defense policy and the new security concept. The ultimate objective of defense modernization is to safeguard state sovereignty and territorial integrity, ensure the country’s peaceful development and defend regional and world peace and stability with the development of necessary deterrence and counter-intervention capabilities. China wants a military that matches its national strength and international status. It has all along stuck to the policy of non-interference in other countries’ internal affairs. It has adopted an increasingly positive attitude towards participation in multilateral security mechanisms and dialogues and conduct of international military and security cooperation. China insists that international disputes should be settled peacefully through dialogue. Since the end of the Cold War, even with huge military development, China has not engaged in military conflict with any other country.