China's national security environment
Sun Yuxi, China's ambassador to India, hit the headlines on Tuesday by asserting that Arunachal Pradesh was a part of China.
The comment was significant, coming as it did on the eve of Chinese President Hu Jintao's first official visit to India next week.
Complete coverage: Hu Jintao in India
What is China's vision of tomorrow's world? Where does India figure in it?
In a speech earlier this year at the National Defence College in New Delhi, Ambassador Sun had some of the answers.
As New Delhi prepares to receive President Hu, we bring you the transcript of that speech:
'It is a great pleasure for me to talk on China's views and positions on the international security situation.
We, in China, believe the international situation in the new century has remained stable. Cooperation among major countries is getting increasingly stronger, countries pay more attention to exchanges and cooperation in security issues, and various regional security mechanisms display unprecedented dynamism.
However, uncertain and unpredictable factors are increasing in the international security arena, and some potential dangers and challenges still linger on. They are mainly evident in the following three aspects:
Firstly, non-traditional security issues have become increasingly acute. Terrorism, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs), transnational crimes, epidemics and other threats are rising, posing challenges to international peace and security.
Secondly, regional conflicts and other traditional security problems remain a threat to peace, stability and development of many countries. Disputes and conflicts in some regions over ethnic, religious, territorial and other issues remain frequent.
Thirdly, hunger, poverty and social injustice are major elements affecting regional security and stability.
In the cause of globalization, the gap between North and South is growing, and many poor countries are being marginalized.
World Bank development reports show that presently, nearly half of the global population lives on less than two dollars a day, 1.2 billion of whom live on half of that. These problems, if unsettled, will become lasting threats to security.
Countries should abandon the mentality that seeks security advantages with military might. Instead, they should embrace a new security concept with mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality and cooperation.
When interests of all countries become increasingly intertwined, it is difficult for any country to attain its security goals single-handedly. We need the rule of law in global affairs and more democracy in international relations. Greater multilateral cooperation and the leading role of the UN in safeguarding world peace and security help us to cope effectively with security threats and maintain common interests.
China's national security environment in this pluralistic, diversified and interdependent world has on the whole improved, but new challenges keep cropping up.
The rise of the "Taiwan independence" forces, the technological gap resulting from Worldwide Revolution in Military Affairs (RMA), the risks and challenges caused by the development of the trends toward economic globalization, and the prolonged existence of unipolarity vis-a-vis multipolarity - all these will have a major impact on China's security.
Nevertheless, China is determined to safeguard its national sovereignty and security, and join hands with the people around the world in advancing the cause of peace and development for mankind.
Then Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran with Ambassador Sun at the reception to inaugurate "China-India Friendship Year" at the Chinese embassy in January. (Photograph courtesy Chinese Embassy, New Delhi)
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