The 27th Chinese peacekeeping troops to United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) host a ceremony to conclude its missions on May 4, 2024. (Photo by Xinhua)

Military diplomacy has been increasingly mentioned in media outlets worldwide under current changing international landscape. Military diplomacy is an essential part of a country's overall foreign policy. Military diplomacy serves as the "ballast" and "stabilizer" of the nation's overall diplomatic efforts, playing a vital role in supporting and ensuring the integrity of foreign policies. 

China adheres to a defensive national defense policy. This is determined by the socialist system of China, the strategic decision to follow the path of peaceful development, the independent foreign policy of peace, and the best of cultural traditions that considers peace and harmony as fundamentals. 

Never seeking hegemony, expansion or spheres of influence is the distinctive feature of China's national defense in the new era, the strategic guidance for which is implementing the military strategic guideline for a new era. This is not only China's solemn commitment to the world, but also a significant contribution to global peace and stability.
 
With a long land boundary, China shares borders with many neighboring countries and faces a highly complex maritime security environment. The present international and domestic situation places higher and more immediate demands on the construction of China's defense capability. The fundamental goal of China's military development is to resolutely defend national sovereignty, security, unity and development interests, maintain regional and global peace and stability, and serve the construction of a community with a shared future for mankind.

China neither repeats the mistakes of being rich but militarily weak in history, nor does it go down the beaten track of certain Western countries that seek hegemony with strength. Instead, China steadfastly follows the path of peaceful development.

There is no inherent gene within the Chinese nation to invade others or seek hegemony. The Chinese people have never bullied, oppressed or enslaved those from other countries, and we will not tolerate any external forces attempting to bully, oppress or enslave us. In the more than 70 years since the founding of the People's Republic of China, the country's economy has flourished, and national defense has been constantly strengthened. However, China has not invaded any country or occupied a single inch of foreign land. The very few armed conflicts with some neighboring countries were purely defensive counterattacks that took place only after all peaceful means had been exhausted, in response to serious threats to China's national territorial sovereignty, maritime rights and interests, and the safety of its people and their property.

Moreover, China has shouldered the obligation to the international community to strive for human progress and pursue greater harmony in the world. China became the second-largest contributor to the United Nations regular budget in 2019, the second largest contributor to UN peacekeeping assessments and the largest troop contributor to peacekeeping operations among the permanent members of the Security Council. Since 1990, the Chinese military has dispatched over 50,000 personnel to participate in UN peacekeeping operations in more than 20 countries and regions. Currently, there are nearly 2,000 Chinese troops serving in six peacekeeping missions, and China has established a standby peacekeeping force consisting of 8,000 troops. 
 
The facts fully demonstrate that China's development is a contribution to world peace, and the growing China's military power also serves to strengthen the forces that protect national interests and uphold global stability. The Chinese military will always be a force that steadfastly defends national sovereignty, security, unity and development interests, a just and mighty force for maintaining regional and world peace, as well as a force to build a community with a shared future for humanity.

The author is the former vice president of the Academy of Military Sciences of the PLA. [email protected]