Approach based on 'mutual trust, benefit'

The country's armed forces will continue to actively engage in military exchange and cooperation with their foreign counterparts. They hope to strengthen mutual trust and benefit under the new international circumstances, a senior military official has said.

Chinese military diplomacy has always been a key part of the country's comprehensive diplomatic work; it has been devoted to maintaining world and regional peace and stability, said Huang Xueping, deputy director-general of the Information Office of the Ministry of National Defense.

Under the guideline of non-alliance and non-confrontation, the Chinese military has so far formulated a comprehensive diplomatic framework by forming relations with 150 countries and defense consultative mechanisms with 22 countries, Huang told China Daily in an interview.

While the Chinese military has taken strides in its reform and opening up, "it continues to advance with its military diplomacy in the new year, and further fulfills the obligation of a large country," Huang said.

The country's armed forces have contributed substantially to international humanitarian aid and international security, he said.

China has participated in 18 United Nations peacekeeping missions since 1990 and sent more than 10,000 peacekeeping forces abroad. This is the largest effort made by any single country among the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, Huang said.

It has also given humanitarian aid on 16 occasions to countries hit by natural disasters. As well, China has sent rescuers to international emergencies such as the Indian Ocean Tsunami in 2004 and the South Asian Earthquake in 2005.

The Chinese military has also jointly held 28 military drills and training sessions with its foreign counterparts.

Besides military exchanges, Huang said his ministry has enhanced efforts to promote itself beyond the country.

To that effect, the ministry is set to release a new version of a white paper on national defense last year.

The first five documents released since 1998 have sought to paint a clearer picture of the country's national defense policy as well as its military development.

The military's spokesmen, who appeared for the first time in a press conference during the May 12 earthquake last year, have also held several news meetings in the past year that have reportedly helped ensure the release of timely and transparent information on the Chinese military.