CHINA’S newly released defence White Paper underscores the growing confidence of its modernising military force, even as it is tasked with protecting the country’s globally expanding interests.

In laying out its military strategy in the paper for the first time, it can claim to be increasing the transparency of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to the outside world, while warning off those deemed to have ill intentions towards it, defence analysts told The Straits Times.

A policy document issued roughly once every two years, China’s latest defence White Paper outlined a bigger role for the military in safeguarding the country’s interests, which have spread around the world as its economic influence has grown.

… This gives an insight into China’s long-term priorities as well as the emerging domains of military rivalry, noted Dr Michael Raska from the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies.