The most recent white paper released by the Chinese government signals its explicit intentions to build up the PLA transparently and install it as a force for global peace-keeping, not military hegemony.

China on Wednesday issued a white paper to expound on its defensive national defense policy in the new era and explain the practice, purposes and significance of China's efforts to build a fortified national defense and a strong military.

China is developing quickly both in terms of economy and military, and that is a natural process. Most major powers travelled the same way in the past, and a strong China helps preserve peace and stability in the world.

The latest U.S. National Military Strategy has provoked a strong but misguided reaction in Beijing. U.S. policy makers are not forecasting an inevitable a war with China and identify areas where the two countries’ national security interests overlap sufficiently for bilateral collaboration.

For the Chinese military to become more transparent, the west needs to convince China that their intentions are not ill and, above all, win trust from China, writes Zhou Bo.

China’s national defense white paper has caused a stir amongst China watchers. However, Chen Zhou explains that the white paper is not reason for concern, and instead provides a path for China’s continued peaceful development.

Why are Chinese leaders so paranoid about the United States? Ely Ratner attempts to answer this question and explains how the modernization of the People’s Liberation Army and changes to China’s national security environment will impact future relations with the US.

Escalating tensions on the Korean peninsula have put a renewed focus on nuclear threats. After the release last week of a Chinese white paper on defense, James Acton draws our attention the omission of China’s no-first-use policy and explains how this newly articulated position impacts the country’s nuclear policy.

For nearly half a century, China’s No-First-Use pledge has served as the cornerstone of its nuclear policy, writes Major General Yao Yunzhu. It is better for China to uphold its NFU policy, rather than discredit such a commitment.

In response to the Democratic Peoples’ Republic of Korea's third nuclear test conducted on 12 February, 2013, the UN Security Council unanimously passed a new resolution on March 7 to impose additional sanctions on the country.