Military must be self-reliant: minister

12-29-2010 11:29 BJT

China's military buildup will correspond with the rapidly developing economy and enhanced national power, Defense Minister Liang Guanglie said.

In a recent interview with the Chinese media, Liang also said that China's armed forces could only depend on themselves, not others, to ensure modernization and the development of equipment.

Liang Guanglie is minister of national defense.

"In the next five years, our economy and society will develop faster, boosting comprehensive national power. The developments will provide an even more stable material base to our defense and military buildup," Liang said at the headquarters of the Chinese military in Beijing.

"We'll take the opportunity and speed up modernization of the military according to plans already made," he said.

The Communist Party of China (CPC) has discussed the 12th Five-Year Plan (2011-2015), which includes a blueprint for the military buildup, and has left it for approval by the National People's Congress in 2011.

"Without the military of more than two million troops...China will be a weak country. A major aspect of its strong national power, I think, is a strong defense," Liang said.

Despite growing national power and global influence, the international situation remains complex, while more and more unstable factors are shadowing China's security, Liang noted.

Commenting on the world security situation, Liang said a war "which involves the whole country" is impossible at the moment, but there is a possibility that a mishap or accident might ignite regional conflicts.

"To enhance our comprehensive national power, (we have to ensure) our core interests are not hampered. We have to put the nation's sovereignty and security in the top position, that is the common understanding of the whole Party (Communist Party of China) and all the people."