BEIJING - China still faces multiple and complicated security threats and challenges, according to a white paper issued Tuesday by the State Council Information Office.

"The issues of subsistence and development security and the traditional and non-traditional threats to security are interwoven," says the white paper on "the diversified employment of China's armed forces."

"Therefore, China has an arduous task to safeguard its national unification, territorial integrity and development interests," it says.

Some country has strengthened its Asia-Pacific military alliances, expanded its military presence in the region, and frequently makes the situation there tenser, it says.

On the issues concerning China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, some neighboring countries are taking actions that complicate or exacerbate the situation, and Japan is making trouble over the issue of the Diaoyu Islands, the white paper says.

The threats posed by "three forces," namely, terrorism, separatism and extremism, are on the rise, and the "Taiwan independence" ?separatist forces and their activities are still the biggest threat to the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations, according to the white paper.

Serious natural disasters, security accidents and public health incidents keep occurring, factors affecting social harmony and stability are growing in number, and the security risks to China's overseas interests are on the increase, it says.

Changes in the form of war from mechanization to informationization are accelerating, and major powers are vigorously developing new and more sophisticated military technologies so as to ensure that they can maintain strategic superiorities in international competition in such areas as outer space and cyber space, the white paper says.

"Facing a complex and volatile security situation, the People's Liberation Army resolutely carries out its historical missions for the new stage in the new century," it says.

The white paper says that China's armed forces broaden their visions of national security strategy and military strategy, aim at winning local wars under the conditions of informationization, make active planning for the use of armed forces in peacetime, deal effectively with various security threats and accomplish diversified military tasks.