China needs the armed forces to not only ensure national security and stability, but also to safeguard world peace and regional stability, which proves that the country is fulfilling more international duties as a major responsible power.

Another highlight of the defense white paper is its positioning of the second artillery force as "a core force of China's strategic deterrence" - primarily responsible for deterring other countries from using nuclear weapons against China and carrying out nuclear counterattacks and precision strikes with conventional missiles.

According to the white paper, if China faces a nuclear threat, the nuclear missile force will act upon the orders of the Central Military Commission, go into a higher level of readiness and prepare for a nuclear counterattack to deter the enemy. But if China comes under a nuclear attack, the nuclear missile force will launch a nuclear counterattack either independently or together with the nuclear forces of other services. The conventional missile force, capable of shifting instantly from peacetime to wartime readiness, will conduct conventional medium- and long-range precision strikes.

In fact, the white paper issued in 2011 also mentioned the second artillery force's capability as a strategic deterrence unit along with its other capabilities, including rapid reaction, penetration and precision striking power, though its emphasis was not on strategic deterrence.

The latest white paper, however, explicitly says the second artillery force is the core strategic deterrence force. The repeated mention of "counterattack" in the white paper reflects the country's stance on the use of nuclear weapons: China will not attack unless it is attacked, but China will definitely counterattack if attacked. The white paper also sends out a message to the rest of the world, that China will tread the path of peaceful development and unswervingly pursue a defense policy that is defensive in nature.

Embodying the thoughts and strategic confidence of the new leadership, the white paper shows China's determination to defend national security and willingness to work with other countries to maintain world peace and boost mutual trust and cooperation.

Openness, pragmatism, confidence and willingness for cooperation are the defining features of the latest defense white paper, which demonstrate China's military transparency and refute the "China threat" theory.

The author is a senior colonel and a professor at the International Security Research Center, International Studies University of PLA.

(China Daily 04/23/2013 page9)