"Proceeding from the fundamental interests of the country, China's national defense policy is both subordinated to and in service of the country's development and security strategies," says a white paper on China's national defense issued by the Information Office of the State Council Monday.

"It is the first time that the Chinese government clearly elaborated on the country's security strategy and its basic connotation through government proclamation," said military expert Chen Zhou, one of the compilers of the white paper.

"This is an innovation after the concept of national interests was put forward for the first time in the white paper on China's national defense issued in 2002," Chen added.

According to the white paper says peace and development remain the dominating themes of the times. Although the international situation as a whole tends to be stable, factors of uncertainty, instability and insecurity are on the increase.

The white paper lists four factors having major impact on China's security. They are the vicious rise of the "Taiwan independence" forces, the technological gap resulting from revolution of military affairs, the risks and challenges brought about by the development of the trends toward economic globalization, and the prolonged existence of unipolarity vis-a-vis multipolarity.

"China sticks to keeping its development in pace with its security and makes great efforts to enhance its national strategic capabilities by using multiple security means to cope with both traditional and non-traditional security threats so as to seek a comprehensive national security in the political, economic, military and social areas," the paper says.

The white paper says China's basic goals and tasks in maintaining national security are:

-- To stop separation and promote reunification, guard against and resist aggression, and defend national sovereignty, territorial integrity and maritime rights and interests;

-- To safeguard the interests of national development, promote economic and social development in an all-round, coordinated and sustainable way and steadily increase the overall national strength;

-- To modernize China's national defense in line with both the national conditions of China and the trend of military development in the world by adhering to the policy of coordinating military and economic development, and improve the operational capabilities of self-defense under the conditions of informationalization;

-- To safeguard the political, economic and cultural rights and interests of the Chinese people, crack down on criminal activities of all sorts and maintain public order and social stability; and

-- To pursue an independent foreign policy of peace and adhere to the new security concept featuring mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality and coordination with a view to securing a long-term and favorable international and surrounding environment.

Chen said "the five aspects of China's basic goals and tasks in maintaining national security are in fact the basic connotation of the country's security strategy."

"To define country's security strategy in the form of government document is in line with international practice."

"It also serves the requirement for meeting the changes in the country's economic development and security situation and for improving the country's security and national defense system," Chen added.