CCTV9英语新闻：New expressions & highlights of China newly-released defense white paper

This is the ninth defense white paper issued since 1998. The white paper advocates an "active defense" strategy and is supposed to further demonstrate the increasing transparency of the Chinese military. CCTV's Zhong Shi joins me in the studio to break down the paper and walks us through some of the highlights.

Q1. Zhong Shi, the paper is expected to usher in more military transparency by giving details of the direction of its military development to other nations. What is new here?

Zhong: The document of about 9,000 words does reveal a list of new or updated expressions. Let me start with the term "the basic point of preparations for military struggle". The papers says the basic point should still be placed on winning what it calls "informationized local wars", but an emphasis on MARITIME military struggle and military struggle preparedness is highlighted here. The adjustment is made in line to what the paper calls "the evolving form of war and national security situation". The paper also brings up the concept of "areas of China's overseas interests". It notes that as Chinese national interests stretch further abroad, the armed forces will "strengthen international security cooperation in areas crucially related to China's overseas interests. And to do that, China will continue to engage in international peacekeeping, joint anti-terrorism efforts and joint military drills. The paper goes on to highlight four "critical security domains", namely the ocean, outer space, cyberspace and nuclear force. It points out that the "traditional mentality that land outweighs sea must be abandoned". In addition to offshore waters defense, the PLA Navy will now also focus on open seas protection. As to the digital realm, China will now expedite the development of its cyber forces to tackle grave security threats. On space issues, China opposes weaponization and an arms race in outer space, but vows to secure its space assets. The paper says China will never enter into a nuclear arms race with any other country. Another new expression in the paper is "the provision of more public security goods to the international community". What this means is that China's armed forces will intensify their participation in international peacekeeping and humanitarian assistance, to contribute more to world peace and common development.