China's defense paper stresses new military employment(2)

PEACETIME MISSION

The paper elaborates on the country's diversified employment of the armed forces to cope with new security challenges at times of peace.

Besides implementing a defensive military strategy and winning local wars under the conditions of informationization, the armed forces are employed to effectively conduct military operations other than war and fulfill international obligations, according to the paper.

"China's armed forces adapt themselves to the new changes of security threats, and emphasize the employment of armed forces in peacetime," it says.

The employment of armed forces responds to China's core security needs and aims to maintain peace, contain crises and win wars, according to the paper.

Chinese armed forces are employed to safeguard borders, coastal and territorial air security and they will strengthen combat-readiness and combat-oriented exercises and drills, it says.

And they will readily respond to and resolutely deter any provocative action which undermines China's sovereignty, security and territorial integrity.

TRANSPARENCY MOVE

In this paper, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) for the first time reveals the actual number of army, navy and air force servicemen, designations of its army combined corps and the main missile lineup.

China now has about 850,000 army servicemen in 18 combined corps and additional independent combined operational divisions (brigades), according to the paper.

The combined corps, composed of divisions and brigades, are respectively under seven military area commands.

Currently, the PLA Navy has a total strength of 235,000 officers and men, and commands three fleets -- the Beihai Fleet, the Donghai Fleet and the Nanhai Fleet.

The PLA Air Force now has about 398,000 officers and men and an air command in each of the seven military area commands of Shenyang, Beijing, Lanzhou, Jinan, Nanjing, Guangzhou and Chengdu. In addition, it boasts one airborne corps.

The PLA Second Artillery Force, the country's core force for strategic deterrence, is composed of nuclear and conventional missile forces and operational support units, according to the paper.

It is equipped with a series of "Dong Feng" ballistic missiles and "Chang Jian" cruise missiles.

It also has under its command missile bases, training bases, specialized support units, academies and research institutions.