China's national defense white paper "updated, practical"

BEIJING, Jan. 20 (Chinese media) -- The white paper on

China's national defense in 2008 is "updated, practical, consistent and

systematic", said a spokesperson here on Tuesday.

The Information Office of China's State Council on

Tuesday issued a white paper titled "China's National Defense in 2008". Hu

Changming, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense summarized the

following four features of the white paper at a press conference:

--

Updated

The white paper stands on the new starting point

after 30 years of reform and opening-up.

"It focuses on the complicated and changing situation

and elaborates on the new characteristic of interaction between China and the

world in the present day," Hu said.

In addition, it also gives a scientific judgement of

current regional and international security environment and a detailed update on

recent development of defense and military building, he noted.

-- Practical

"Based upon the practice of defense and military

building, the white paper updates the People's Liberation Army's (PLA) military

training, political work, equipment building and logistic support through main

military activities such as fighting against freezing rain disaster, relief

operation after the Wenchuan earthquake, security tasks for the Olympic Games

and the Paralympic Games," he said.

--

Consistent

"Maintaining the same structures and style of

previous edition, this white paper reiterates China's principles and positions

on major issues with an emphasis on the unswerving adherence to the defense

policy which is purely defensive in nature and the military strategic guidelines

of active defense," he said.

--

Systematic

Combining theory and practice, history and reality,

the white paper gives an all-directional account of defense and military

building in all fields.

"The white paper devotes a whole new chapter to each

service and arm, namely the army, navy, air force and the second artillery force

to better elaborate on their respective historic development, structures and

organizations, and force building," the spokesperson noted.