Chinese security policy safeguards sovereignty, unity, territorial integrity, official

China's security policy is designed first and foremost to safeguard its sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity, a senior Chinese official said in Munich Sunday.

The objectives of China's security policy is first of all to maintain its own stability and development, said Zhang Zhijun, Vice Minister of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China.

"The second is to maintain peace and stability in the neighboring areas, and third to promote international security dialogue and cooperation," Zhang told the 42nd annual Munich Conference on Security Policy.

He added that China's security policy is also geared to "the needs of economic development and the creation of a stable international environment, particularly, a favorable neighboring environment."

China's national defense construction is aimed at safeguarding security and unity of the country and ensuring smooth advancement of economic development, he said.

China "refuses to join any military alliance or engage in any arms race", Zhang said, adding "China does not seek spheres of influence nor set up military bases overseas".

He reaffirmed China's opposition to proliferation of nuclear weapons and other WMDs and support for the complete prohibition and thorough destruction of nuclear weapons.

China has promised in explicit terms not to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear weapon countries or regions, said Zhang.

China has cut almost 2 million troops over the past two decades, he told the conference, which gathers more than 300 defense ministers and other senior government officials from 50 nations and regions.

He said China "stands for a new security concept that features mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality and collaboration".

The Asian country "is working to enhance mutual trust through dialogue, resolve conflicts through consultation, and seek stability through cooperation".

China has supported efforts to conduct security dialogues and establish regional security cooperation mechanisms so as to strengthen and deepen multilateral security cooperation, the vice minister said.

Source: Xinhua