Assessing Chinese Military Transparency

by Michael Kiselycznyk and Phillip C. Saunders

China Strategic Perspectives 1

Center for Strategic Research

Institute for National Strategic Studies

National Defense University
Institute for National Strategic Studies

National Defense University

The Institute for National Strategic Studies (INSS) is National 

Defense University’s (NDU’s) dedicated research arm.  INSS includes 

the Center for Strategic Research, Center for Technology and National 

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who comprise INSS and its subcomponents execute their mission by 

performing research and analysis, publication, conferences, policy 

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The mission of INSS is to conduct strategic studies for the Secretary 

of Defense, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Unified 

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the academic programs at NDU, and to perform outreach to other U.S. 

Government agencies and to the broader national security community. 

Cover: Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates meets with Vice Chairman of 

the CPC Central Military Commission General Xu Caihou as U.S. 

Ambassador to China Clark T. Randt, Jr., left, and Chinese Deputy Chief of 

Staff Lt. Gen. Ma Xiaotian, right, look on in Beijing, November 5, 2007.

Photo courtesy of Department of Defense/Cherie A. Thurlby
Assessing Chinese Military Transparency

Institute for National Strategic Studies

China Strategic Perspectives, No. 1

Series Editor: Phillip C. Saunders 

National Defense University Press

Washington, D.C.

June 2010

by Michael Kiselycznyk and Phillip C. Saunders

Assessing Chinese Military Transparency
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v

Contents

Executive Summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Methodology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Ratings for China’s 2008 Defense White Paper. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

China’s Defense White Papers from 1998 to 2008. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Comparison: China and ASEAN Member States. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Comparison: China and Other East Asian and Asia-Pacific White Papers. . 29

Conclusions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Appendix: Definitions and Rating Criteria. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Notes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Acknowledgments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 

About the Authors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Illustrations

Table 1. Asia-Pacific White Papers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Table 2. Comparison of Dr. Choi’s Template with Study Categories. . . . . . 8

Figure 1. Transparency Rating System. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Figure 2. Ratings for China’s 2008 Defense White Paper. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Figure 3. Comparison of China’s Defense White Papers over Time. . . . . 26

Figure 4. Comparison of China’s Transparency Ratings with Those of 

ASEAN Member States. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Figure 5. Comparison of China’s Transparency Ratings with Those of 

Other East Asian and Asia-Pacific White Papers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
1

Assessing Chinese Military Transparency

Executive Summary

The United States and other countries in the Asia-Pacific region have expressed concerns about China’s expanding military capabilities and called on Beijing to increase transparency on military issues. Chinese officials and military officers argue that Chinese transparency 

has increased over time and that weaker countries should not be expected to meet U.S. standards of transparency. Lack of an objective method for assessing military transparency 

has made it difficult to assess these Chinese claims and has inhibited productive dialogues 

about transparency.

This paper presents a methodology for assessing military transparency that aims to confront the question of China’s military transparency from a comparative perspective. Drawing 

upon research done by Korean defense expert Dr. Choi Kang as part of a Council for Security 

Cooperation in the Asia-Pacific working group, it focuses on defense white papers as a readily 

available and comparable source of official defense information. The paper develops an objective methodology for comparing the relative transparency of defense white papers by employing standardized definitions and a four-tiered set of criteria to evaluate transparency across 

19 categories. This approach can be used to evaluate changes in transparency over time and to 

compare China’s transparency with that of other Asia-Pacific countries. 

We use this methodology to evaluate changes in transparency in China’s six defense white 

papers (from 1998 through 2008) and to compare its 2008 white paper with 13 other recent 

Asia-Pacific defense white papers. We find that there has been a gradual but modest increase 

in the transparency of China’s defense white papers over time. China’s degree of transparency 

is roughly comparable to that of most Southeast Asian countries and to India, but significantly 

less than Asia-Pacific democracies such as Japan and South Korea. We argue that China’s growing economic and military power makes major countries such as Japan, South Korea, India, and 

Australia a more appropriate basis of comparison.

Despite some limitations in the methodology (most notably omitting information published in other government documents when assessing transparency), we believe that it provides a reasonably objective and comparable way to evaluate relative military transparency. 

Although a full assessment would require considering a country’s unique context and using all 

available information, the methodology employed in this study provides a useful starting point 

to compare how different countries within the Asia-Pacific region approach military transparency. We argue that this methodology could be used as the basis for broader comparative studies of transparency and as a way to support regional dialogues about military transparency. 

3

Assessing Chinese Military Transparency

Introduction

In recent years, China has significantly accelerated its military modernization. This effort 

has been underpinned by double-digit increases in China’s official military budgets beginning 

in the mid-1990s. China’s military, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), has also developed 

or acquired a range of new weapons systems that significantly improve its capabilities. These 

include the acquisition of advanced Russian systems such as SU–27 and SU–35 advanced fighters, S–300 surface-to-air missiles, Soveremenny-class destroyers equipped with advanced antiship cruise missiles, and Kilo-class advanced diesel submarines. China has greatly expanded 

its force of conventionally armed short-range and medium-range ballistic missiles, has begun 

to deploy antiship and land-attack cruise missiles that can be launched from ground, air, and 

naval platforms, and is reportedly developing an antiship ballistic missile that could be used 

to attack aircraft carriers. It has begun to deploy second-generation nuclear intercontinental 

ballistic missiles (ICBMs) including mobile DF–31 and DF–31A systems and has produced a 

new Jin (Type 094) class ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) that will carry a second-generation 

submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM).1

The United States and a number of China’s neighbors in the Asia-Pacific region have expressed concerns about these new capabilities and the motivations behind China’s military 

buildup. These concerns are heightened by a closed political system and culture of secrecy 

which places many aspects of Chinese military capabilities and national security decisionmaking processes off-limits. Even relatively innocuous information about military capabilities is 

often protected, classified, or censored by the government. Public debates about defense issues 

are rare, and often rely on Western estimates of Chinese military capabilities because official information is not available from government sources. As a result of these concerns, United States 

and other Asia-Pacific officials have regularly called on China to display greater transparency 

about its military capabilities, activities, and intentions. These calls began in the mid-1990s, 

when regional concerns were stoked by Chinese efforts to expand its military position in disputed areas of the South China Sea and by its use of ballistic missile tests to intimidate Taiwan 

in 1995 and 1996.

The international relations literature highlights the importance of the security dilemma—

where one country’s efforts to make itself more secure can decrease the security of others. Countries assess both capabilities and intentions when deciding whether a neighboring state’s military 

modernization may constitute a threat to their security. Misperceptions about military capabilities and intentions can heighten the intensity of security dilemma dynamics and raise military 
4 

China Strategic Perspectives, No. 1

tensions. Greater transparency about military capabilities and intentions can therefore be an important tool in building confidence and reducing unwarranted security concerns. Within the 

Asia-Pacific region, efforts to increase regional military transparency have been focused on the 

official Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Regional Forum (ARF) and its track 

two counterpart, the Council for Security Cooperation in the Asia-Pacific (CSCAP).2

 Both organizations have sponsored regional meetings and working groups on ways to increase military 

transparency and build mutual confidence.

The Chinese government and the People’s Liberation Army initially resisted foreign calls 

for greater military transparency, citing China’s military weakness and arguing that transparency benefits stronger countries at the expense of weaker states.3

 However, China gradually 

began to respond to regional concerns with modest efforts to improve its military transparency. 

One important step was the release of a white paper on arms control and disarmament policies 

in 1995, followed by China’s first defense white paper in 1998.4

 These documents were praised 

by both Asian and Western officials as welcome steps in the direction of greater transparency. 

This praise, and the implicit demand for greater transparency, led China to adopt a formalized 

process of producing new defense white papers every two years. 

China’s most recent defense white paper, covering developments in 2007 and 2008, was 

released in January 2009. China’s defense white papers are drafted by multiple authors in a process that has been coordinated in recent years by Senior Colonel Chen Zhou of the Academy of 

Military Science. Interviews and internal evidence from past white papers suggest that different 

chapters are drafted by different organizations (each service probably drafts its own chapter, 

with the Foreign Ministry’s Department of Arms Control and Disarmament drafting the arms 

control chapter). The final product is carefully vetted to address security and policy issues, probably via an interagency process. Like other Chinese white papers, the defense white paper is 

released by the State Council’s Information Office. However, this year the newly-established 

Ministry of National Defense Information Office held a press conference to publicize the white 

paper’s release. 

Biannual white papers have not fully addressed foreign concerns about a lack of Chinese 

military transparency. U.S. Government officials continue to complain that China is not sufficiently transparent about military matters. Other Asia-Pacific officials and commentators sometimes also complain about a lack of transparency. For its part, China has distinguished between 

transparency about intentions and transparency about military capabilities, claiming that transparency about intentions is more important and that China is completely transparent about its 

peaceful intentions.5

 Disputes about the degree of Chinese military transparency have become 
5

Assessing Chinese Military Transparency

a regular part of U.S.-China diplomatic and military interactions. Partly in response to these 

concerns, Congress mandated that the Office of Secretary of Defense produce an annual report 

on Chinese military power. Constructive bilateral or multilateral discussions over China’s level 

of military transparency have been hindered by disputes about an appropriate basis for comparison. The United States holds itself up as an example of transparency, noting that a plethora of 

information about U.S. military capabilities, strategies, and budgets is available in official government reports and testimony to Congress.6

 Chinese officials and military officers typically respond that China’s transparency has increased over time and that weaker countries such as itself 

should not be expected to meet U.S. standards of transparency. Lack of objective standards for 

assessing military transparency that could be used to track trends over time and make comparisons between countries make it difficult for the two sides to reconcile their differences and inhibit 

productive dialogues about military transparency.7

Overview

This paper presents a methodology for assessing military transparency that can be used 

to assess changes in Chinese transparency over time and to compare China’s transparency relative to other Asia-Pacific countries. It attempts to develop an objective basis for comparison by 

developing and employing a standard and consistent set of criteria. This methodology could potentially be used as the basis for a broader comparative study of transparency in the Asia-Pacific 

region and as a way to support regional dialogues about military transparency. 

Our approach to assessing military transparency in the Asia-Pacific focuses on defense white 

papers. We adapted a template for defense white papers originally devised by Dr. Choi Kang of the 

Korea Institute for Defense Analyses (KIDA). Dr. Choi developed his template as part of a Council for Security Cooperation in the Asia-Pacific (CSCAP) working group in order to promote the 

adoption of a standard white paper format as a way to increase regional military transparency. 

In adapting the template, we developed standardized definitions and a four-tiered set of criteria 

to evaluate transparency in 19 categories. We used this methodology to evaluate China’s six defense white papers from 1998 through 2008 to assess changes in transparency over time. We also 

employed the same definitions and criteria to evaluate 13 other recent Asia-Pacific defense white 

papers and compare the transparency of China’s 2008 white paper relative to the others.8

 Our key 

findings are that although each of China’s defense white papers contains some new information, 

there has been only a modest increase in transparency over time. China’s degree of transparency 

is roughly comparable to that of most Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries 

and to India, but significantly less than Asia-Pacific democracies such as Japan and South Korea. 
6 

China Strategic Perspectives, No. 1

The paper begins with a description of the methodology employed in evaluating transparency, followed by a discussion of the 2008 Chinese defense white paper and a review of best practices 

from other Asia-Pacific white papers. Next, we present our analysis of how China’s defense white 

papers have changed over time and areas in which transparency has improved. We then present 

a comparative analysis of China’s 2008 defense white paper with other recent Asian-Pacific white 

papers. We conclude by highlighting lingering questions about Chinese transparency and discussing their implications for both foreign and domestic Chinese audiences.

Methodology

One challenge in designing this study was finding a widely accepted definition of transparency. The term transparency or military transparency appears frequently in the arms control 

and nonproliferation literature, as well as the wider international security literature. However, 

transparency is rarely defined explicitly. Even in cases where definitions are offered, they are 

usually couched in terms of the process through which transparency is achieved or in reference 

to the benefits of greater transparency. Discussing transparency in a general political context, 

Ann Florini defines it as “the opposite of secrecy,” placing the two concepts on opposite ends 

of a continuum.9

 The United Nations (UN) General Assembly resolution 60/40 loosely suggests 

“objective information on military matters” as a definition of transparency. The UN Center 

for Disarmament Affairs describes transparency as “systemic provision of information under 

informal and formal agreements.”10 Keeping in mind the consensus view that transparency is 

intended to reduce the risk of misunderstanding and conflict, we define military transparency

as providing information about military capabilities and policies that allows other countries to 

assess the compatibility of those capabilities with a country’s stated security goals.

The challenge in assessing military transparency is finding sources of information that 

can serve as a basis for comparison. After careful consideration, we decided that defense white 

papers were an appropriate source of official information about defense policies and that a comparison of the most recent defense white papers released by Asia-Pacific countries would be a 

good starting point for assessing transparency. 

White papers are authoritative and publicly available documents that constitute official 

statements about a country’s defense policies, goals, and capabilities. Most governments in the 

Asia-Pacific region now produce a defense white paper on at least an occasional basis. Although 

these white papers are not exactly the same in form and content, they share sufficient similarities to allow for comparison. In addition to China’s defense white papers, we evaluated 13 recent 

white papers from the Asia-Pacific region. The oldest paper we examined was the Philippine 
7

Assessing Chinese Military Transparency

defense white paper from 1998, and the newest was Vietnam’s white paper from 2009. Most of 

the papers examined were produced in the last 3 or 4 years. Table 1 contains information on the 

white papers used in this study.

Using defense white papers as a basis for assessing transparency raises a few methodological issues. Countries have different motivations for producing defense white papers, and the papers themselves are often aimed at multiple audiences (including both domestic and foreign readers). Although 

broadly similar in form and content, white papers from the Asia-Pacific region do not follow a standard organizational format. Each paper contains different information organized in its own fashion.

Country Title Year

Australia Defending Australia in the Asia Pacific Century 2030 2009

Brunei Defense White Paper 2004 Defending the Nation’s Sovereignty

Shaping the Force Today: Defence White Paper Update 2007 2007

Cambodia Defending the Kingdom of Cambodia 2006: Security, 

Development and International Cooperation 2007

China White Paper on National Defense in 2008 2009

India Annual Report 2007–2008 2008

Indonesia Indonesian’s White Paper of Defense of 2008 2008

Japan Defense of Japan 2008 2008

Laos National Defense Policy 2005

Philippines Defense Policy Paper 1998 1998

Singapore Defending Singapore in the 21st Century 2000

South Korea Defense White Paper 2006 2006

Taiwan 2008 National Defense Report 2008

Thailand The Defense of Thailand 2005 2005

Vietnam Vietnam National Defence 2009

Note: We were unable to locate defense white papers for Burma, Malaysia, and North Korea

Table 1. Asia-Pacific White Papers
8 

China Strategic Perspectives, No. 1

Dr. Choi Kang’s 

Template, 1996 Current Study Template

Part I

Threat Perception and Analysis of 

Security Environment Security Environment

International International 

Regional Regional

National Internal

Part II National Security Goals 

and Objectives National Security Goals

Strategic Strategic

Tactical Tactical

Part III General Defense Policy Lines General Defense Policy

Strategic Doctrine

Tactical Missions

Part IV Major Areas of Concern Major Areas of Concern

International International

Regional Regional

National Internal

Part V Current Defense Posture Current Defense Posture

Size of Force Total Personnel

Structure of Force Structure of Force

Military Holdings Command Structure

Strategic Weapons Armaments

Major Offensive Conventional 

Weapons

Part VI Defense Management Defense Management

Defense Budget Overall Budget

Organization Budget Trends

Planned Acquisitions or Procurement

Part VII Conclusion (Overall evaluation) International Activity

Relationships, Exchanges, and Joint Exercises

PKO/Humanitarian Missions

Appendices Reference Material and Statistical 

Data

Record of Compliance with and 

Participation in UN Activities

Table 2. Comparison of Dr. Choi’s Template with Study Categories
9

Assessing Chinese Military Transparency

White papers range in size from the relatively slim booklets produced by Thailand and 

Vietnam to the full-size books produced annually by Japan and South Korea.11 White papers 

do not include all publicly available information on a country’s defense policies and military 

capabilities. In some cases, significant additional information is available in other defense 

publications and budget documents, testimony by defense ministers or senior military officers, or reports to a country’s legislature. In order to bound the research and have a consistent 

basis for comparison, our analysis was limited to the information contained in each country’s defense white paper, and did not seek or incorporate additional publicly available information. In his study, Dr. Choi proposed five criteria to assess the transparency of white 

papers: comprehensiveness of contents, balance and mutual supportiveness among different 

sections of the report, precision and reliability of information, consistency and standardization, 

and availability.

12 Our study focuses largely on the first two categories, with brief discussion 

of the final two.13 We did not attempt to verify the accuracy of the information presented in 

the white papers against other sources. This would have greatly expanded the research task 

and introduced a large element of subjectivity into the assessment. Despite these caveats, we 

found that defense white papers contain sufficient and comparable information to allow for 

an assessment of relative transparency.

Dr. Choi developed a proposed template for defense white papers that could be employed 

by Asia-Pacific countries.14 He presented his proposed template to a CSCAP working group on 

confidence- and security-building mechanisms in 1996, and subsequently published a study 

in the Korean Journal of Defense Analysis.

15 Because Dr. Choi’s template was produced by an 

Asian security expert and discussed in regional security meetings, it presented an ideal starting point for assessing transparency in defense white papers within the Asia-Pacific region. 

Dr. Choi originally proposed 18 categories divided into seven major sections. We adapted the 

categories in his template, ending up with 19 categories in all. The changes were intended to 

clarify the differences between categories and to add a forward-looking element by including 

categories on defense budget trends and planned acquisitions/procurement. (See table 2 for 

comparison of Dr. Choi’s template and the categories employed in this study.) After finalizing 

these categories, we devised standardized definitions for each and developed a four-tiered set 

of criteria to evaluate transparency in each category.

The four possible ratings are represented as a color-coded system. Each color captures 

the general level of transparency in any one of the 19 categories. A red rating indicates a complete absence of relevant information, and thus no transparency. An orange rating indicates the 

white paper provides some relevant information that addresses the category, but only provides 
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China Strategic Perspectives, No. 1

a cursory overview and a very low level of transparency. A yellow rating indicates that the white 

paper provides some level of detail and a medium degree of transparency. A green rating indicates that the white paper provides a high degree of detail, explanation, and analysis, and thus 

provides a high degree of transparency. 

For each of the 19 categories we developed specific definitions and stipulations for 

each of the four levels. The definitions and the rating criteria were developed independently 

and before reviewing the content of the white papers involved in the study.16 We tried to 

use consistent language in the rating criteria to ensure some degree of comparability across 

categories. For example, an orange rating (in any category) usually indicates that the white 

paper listed or identified relevant information, but did include the description or analysis 

required for a yellow or green rating, respectively. Definitions and rating criteria are included in the Appendix.

In order to test the rating criteria, two raters independently evaluated all the Asia-Pacific 

defense white papers in our initial sample.17 In this preliminary test, both raters came to similar 

conclusions about the appropriate rating each white paper deserved in each category. Where 

discrepancies in ratings existed, they generally lay in questions about whether a particular white 

paper deserved an orange or yellow rating, or a yellow or green rating. In most cases, the raters 

found that reference to the specific wording of the rating criteria produced agreement on the 

final rating. For consistency, the raters adopted a strict interpretation of the rating criteria.18

Based on this preliminary rating, we made minor adjustments in the rating criteria for a 

few categories to highlight the distinctions between ratings more clearly (see next paragraph). 

Once the rating criteria were finalized, the two raters finalized their evaluations of all the 

white papers. As in the preliminary rating attempt, differences were resolved by reviewing 

the rating criteria and discussing the basis of each reviewer’s rating in terms of the specific 

text of the white paper. Differences could usually be explained on the basis of a strict or liberal application of the rating criteria. In all cases we favored a strict interpretation in order to 

maintain consistency. 

No Transparency No Information

Low Transparency Listings or Identification

Medium Transparency Description

High Transparency Analysis

Figure 1. Transparency Rating System
11

Assessing Chinese Military Transparency

In the course of developing and testing the rating criteria several methodological issues 

arose. We found that our original criteria for total personnel and overall defense budget often 

produced binary results despite nominally incorporating four levels of transparency: defense 

white papers typically either provided exact numbers or no numbers at all. We eliminated 

one personnel category and modified the criteria to require a greater degree of detail within 

the remaining personnel and budget categories to attain a yellow or green rating. We had 

difficulty distinguishing between descriptions of the Security Environment and Major Areas 

of Concern in Choi Kang’s original white paper template. We resolved this issue by having 

the Security Environment categories focus on general trends, and the Major Areas of Concern

focus on analysis of concrete issues, situations, and the positions or policies adopted to address them. At times these proved difficult to distinguish. However, a number of white papers 

that received high transparency ratings provide examples of how this can be accomplished 

(discussed below). 

Another issue was expectations about what information ought to be included in a country’s 

white paper. At times this required reconciling the rater’s assumptions and expectations of what 

should be included with the information that is actually presented. The rater’s familiarity with 

the country can affect this evaluation. The rater must also consider individual circumstances. 

Countries like South Korea and Australia do not face major internal security challenges, while 

a country like Vietnam is not currently involved in international peacekeeping. In some cases, a 

red rating may not indicate a lack of transparency, but rather that the issue is not applicable to a 

particular country. Some white papers contain useful information not captured by our template 

and categories. Our template does not necessarily consider all information in each white paper. 

Information on topics such as human resources and legal developments are generally aimed at a 

domestic rather than foreign audience, and thus are not especially relevant to external military 

transparency. If a white paper’s organization did not conform to our template, we sought to 

locate relevant information for each category and consider it in the appropriate category when 

determining the rating. 

Because our study focuses solely on defense white papers as a standardized basis for 

comparisons of transparency, we did not include information from other publicly available official documents. Some countries such as Japan and Australia provide significant 

additional information on military capabilities and defense budgets in other government 

documents. We also did not attempt to verify the validity and reliability of the information 

presented in defense white papers. Such an effort would have greatly expanded the scope of 

the study, and introduced a considerable element of subjective judgment into the rating and 
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China Strategic Perspectives, No. 1

Chinese Defense White Paper 2008

Security Environment

International

Regional

Internal

National Security Goals

Strategic

Tactical 

General Defense Policy

Doctrine 

Missions 

Major areas of Concern

International

Regional

Internal

Current Defense Posture

Total Personnel 

Structure of Force

Command Structure

Armaments

Defense Management

Overall Budget

Budget Trends

Planned Acquisitions or Procurement

International Activity

Relationships, Exchanges, and Joint Exercises

PKO/Humanitarian Missions

Figure 2. Ratings for China’s 2008 Defense White Paper

comparison process. We felt it was best to focus on the information presented in the white 

papers to assess transparency. However, the accuracy of the information in a white paper 

is important if the paper is to serve the larger purpose of reassuring neighboring countries 

about one’s benign intentions. Publishing false or misleading information in a white paper 

could foster increased suspicions.
13

Assessing Chinese Military Transparency

Ratings for China’s 2008 Defense White Paper

Security Environment—This section addresses current or developing international, regional, and 

internal trends that threaten or have the potential to threaten the country. The section consists of 

international, regional, and internal categories.

The discussion of China’s security environment in the 2008 defense white paper generally receives a medium transparency rating. The first chapter on The Security Environment

is not explicitly divided into international, regional, or internal categories, but the delineation between the three levels of analysis is apparent within the section. The section identifies and describes a number of international and regional trends, including globalization, 

multi-polarization, international strategic forces, risk of “worldwide, all-out and large scale 

wars,” resource competition, hegemonism, and the revolution in military affairs (RMA). The 

chapter lists but does not describe the existence of terrorism, environmental disasters, climate 

change, serious epidemics, transnational crime, and piracy. The Asia-Pacific security environment is described as stable with increasing cooperation and dialogue while fluctuations 

in the world economy, political turbulence, and a variety of maladies remain ongoing concerns. Although the discussion of Taiwan—which the Chinese consider an internal issue—is 

detailed, the paper only states that “China’s security situation has improved steadily” while 

highlighting the importance of economic factors. A lack of detail and information on other 

internal trends is readily apparent. 

As an example of best practices, the 2003 Indonesian white paper breaks down the 

Strategic Context chapter into Global, Regional, and National sections. Trends are identified and analyzed in depth in each section. For example, the Regional section analyzes the 

role of actors involved in Southeast Asia including the United States, China, Japan, and the 

European Union. The section also analyzes the issue of “regional waters security” and borders—including a discussion of trends concerning each of Indonesia’s border relationships. 

This represents both a broader and deeper treatment of trends relevant to the region and to 

Security Environment

International

Regional

Internal
14 

China Strategic Perspectives, No. 1

Indonesia’s security environment. Compared with other countries in this study, the Indonesian paper provides one of the most comprehensive discussions of the country’s internal 

security. This includes the identification and discussion of two separatist groups, terrorism, 

issues of communal conflict, radical group movements, social unrest, and maritime security 

disturbances. This chapter’s complete description and analysis of the trends affecting Indonesia’s security environment place the subsequent discussion of Indonesia’s defense policy 

into full perspective. The 2008 Indonesian white paper contains similar information, but is 

organized in a slightly different manner. Although the 2008 Indonesian white paper received 

transparency ratings comparable to the 2003 white paper, it received a slightly lower rating 

on the Regional section.

National Security Goals—This section addresses the economic, political, social, and security objectives that are critical to the country’s development and security and the policy approaches the 

country pursues to ensure national security objectives are fulfilled. The section consists of strategic 

and tactical sections.

The discussion of China’s national security goals receives a medium transparency rating. 

The National Defense Policy chapter identifies broad “strategic” level national security goals of 

protecting national sovereignty, security, territorial integrity, and safeguarding the interests 

of national development and of the Chinese people as important “above all else.” The chapter continues by including the building of a “fortified national defense” and “strong military 

forces compatible with national security and development interest...while building a moderately prosperous society in all aspects.” The chapter prioritizes these goals generally using the 

term “above all else” in the first paragraph and when discussing the development of the armed 

forces “while building a moderately prosperous society in all aspects.” However, beyond this 

general suggestion of priorities, most national security goals are listed without further detail, 

discussion, or prioritization. The exception is the discussion of China’s twin goals of developing 

national defense and modernizing the armed forces, which is the focus of the remainder of the 

National Defense Policy chapter. The Arms Control and Disarmament chapter contains similarly 

National Security Goals

Strategic

Tactical
15

Assessing Chinese Military Transparency

descriptive information and explanations about why arms control, disarmament, and nonproliferation are important to China’s national security. 

The “tactical” means designed to achieve many of the “strategic” level goals are listed 

in The Security Situation chapter. These tactical means include the concepts of peaceful development, the opening-up strategy of mutual benefit, promoting a harmonious world, and 

implementing the scientific outlook on development. Perfecting China’s national emergency 

management system, pursuing the new security concept, encouraging dialogue and cooperation, and never seeking hegemony or engaging in military expansion are discussed in somewhat greater detail in this chapter and in the following National Defense Policy chapter. The 

International Security Cooperation and Arms Control and Disarmament chapters clearly list 

and in many cases describe China’s recent involvement in international cooperation, arms 

control, disarmament, and nonproliferation. The tactical category does not receive a green 

rating because in many cases the paper does not define expansive terms like “new security 

concept” or explain how these concepts relate to and advance China’s national security. Discussion of the three-step development strategy to modernize national defense and the armed 

forces in The National Defense Policy chapter is again the most detailed, and is the exception 

in this category. (The scattering of information relevant to national security goals throughout 

multiple chapters within the white paper has the effect of obscuring the links between the 

strategic and tactical levels of national security.)

As an example of best practices, the 1998 Philippines white paper addresses national 

security goals through a series of chapters that build on each other. The Defense Objectives 

and Approach chapter presents a comprehensive description of overall national security 

goals, discusses why they are important to national security, and shows how specific policies are intended to address these goals. The Philippines white paper also links the goals 

discussed in this chapter with the major areas of concern discussed in a previous chapter 

on Internal Policy Environment. This chapter describes how certain issues threaten national security and then provides a “holistic approach” listing policy efforts intended to 

address these issues. The white paper goes further in a later Defense Challenges and Opportunities chapter. This chapter links these national security goals, policies, and major areas 

of concern together in order to identify eight specific national security goals and opportunities confronting the Department of National Defense. More than most white papers, 

the Philippines white paper uses a format that connects and comprehensively discusses 

Manila’s most important and crucial national security goals and the policies intended to 

ensure national security.
16 

China Strategic Perspectives, No. 1

General Defense Policy—This section address the approaches, framework, or principles that guide 

a country’s defense policy and the primary missions, responsibilities, or roles assigned to the armed 

forces in pursuit of this defense policy. The section consists of doctrine and mission categories.

The discussion of China’s General Defense Policy receives a mix of medium and high transparency ratings. The National Defense Policy chapter details elements of China’s doctrine such 

as defensive doctrine, active defense, “winning local wars in conditions of informationization,” 

taking “integrated joint operations as the basic approach,” and China’s self-defensive nuclear 

strategy. Emphasis is placed on deterring crises and wars and the importance of close coordination of military, political, diplomatic, economic, cultural, and legal endeavors. Nuclear strategy 

and deterrence and integrated joint operations are detailed and connected to China’s overall 

defense policy. The historical missions, people’s war, the subordination of the PLA’s development to the overall national construction, and emphasis on military operations other than war 

(MOOTW) are included but not described in detail. This information is presented in a clear and 

concise manner and provides a comprehensive description of the principles underlying China’s 

defense policy. Despite meeting the criteria for a green rating, some important details are still 

absent. For example, the white paper could go further in discussing how “the flexible use of 

different means of deterrence” should be used “to effectively control war situations,” and what 

these means are. As written, these relationships remain somewhat ambiguous. 

The National Defense Policy chapter also outlines the PLA’s fundamental missions including performing the historical missions and winning local wars in conditions of informationization while also increasing the capability to “maintain maritime, space and electromagnetic 

space security and to carry out the tasks of counterterrorism, stability maintenance, emergency 

rescue and international peacekeeping.” MOOTW and international exchanges are identified 

as important PLA missions, as well. The missions of the PLA (Army), Navy (PLAN), Air Force 

(PLAAF), Second Artillery Corps, People’s Armed Police Force (PAPF), Militia, and border and 

coastal area defense forces are discussed in individual chapters (an innovation in the 2008 white 

paper). In some cases the missions of branches within services are also specified. The chapter detailing PLA Army missions is vaguer than those detailing the missions of the PLAN, 

General Defense Policy

Doctrine 

Missions 
17

Assessing Chinese Military Transparency

PLAAF, and Second Artillery. The Force Building subsection in each service chapter presents information on efforts designed to help each service perform these missions. A green rating would 

require further discussion of service-specific mission guidelines, including discussion of how the 

services function in joint operations. For example the PLAAF chapter states that the air force is 

responsible for “safeguarding the country’s territorial air space and territorial sovereignty and 

maintaining a stable air defense posture nationwide” and is transitioning from “territorial air defense to both offensive and defensive operations.” This provides a clear statement of the PLAAF’s 

general mission, resulting in a yellow rating. However, these terms do not describe the types of 

actions and operations tactical units will carry out to fulfill these missions or the type of actions 

neighboring countries should reasonably expect PLAAF aircraft to conduct on a regular basis. 

Several Asia-Pacific white papers (including those of Australia, Japan, South Korea, and 

Taiwan) offer best case examples, although through different formats. The Australian paper 

clearly describes Canberra’s “military strategy” and the importance of joint operations to the 

overall doctrine. The paper defines this strategy as neither “purely defensive” nor “reactive.” Instead the paper makes clear the “proactive nature” of Australia’s strategy and relates this strategy 

to national interests and national security goals. Chapter seven provides a discussion and prioritization of the four main missions of the Australian Defense Force. These include defending 

Australia from attack, contributing to stability and security in the South Pacific and East Timor, 

contributing to military contingencies in the Asia-Pacific region, and contributing to military 

contingencies in support of global security. In each case the white paper lays out the reasoning 

behind these missions and why they are prioritized as they are. The following chapter is partly 

devoted to identifying the specific roles and missions assigned to the maritime, land, air force, 

and other services. More specific information detailing how these missions will be carried out 

is presented in chapters nine and ten. 

The discussion of general defense policy in the white papers of South Korea and Taiwan is 

largely devoted to detailing doctrine and missions as related to armed conflict with North Korea 

and China, respectively. In both cases the white papers present a full and detailed description 

and discussion of both doctrine and missions. Japan takes a slightly different approach. Part 

III, Section 2 of the white paper (Measures for Defense of Japan) presents Japan’s doctrine and 

the missions of the different services of the Self-Defense Force (SDF) through the lens of “new 

threats and diverse contingencies.” For each threat or contingency the white paper details 

Japan’s doctrine and the role of each service of the SDF. The variety of different approaches that 

countries employ to describe general defense policy highlights the point that there is no one 

correct template in designing a white paper or providing military transparency.
18 

China Strategic Perspectives, No. 1

Major Areas of Concern—This section addresses specific international, regional, or internal situations, issues, conflicts, or problem spots that concern or threaten the country. This section differs 

from the Security Environment category by focusing on concrete issues and situations and the 

policies the country employs to confront them. The section consists of international, regional, and 

internal categories.

The discussion of China’s Major Areas of Concern generally receives low to medium transparency ratings. Most of the discussion in this section overlaps closely with the trends described 

above in the Security Environment section. In most cases, the white paper does not detail specific situations or crises that concern China in the international environment or discuss how 

China is responding. For example, the paper mentions trends in the RMA, arms races, nuclear 

proliferation, and changes in the global economy, but does not elaborate on specific issues within these larger trends. Similarly, regional areas of concern including territorial disputes and 

the internal stability of some nations are briefly mentioned, but the paper offers few details or 

specific examples. The white paper does express concern over some specific situations such as 

realignment between the United States and Japan and the North Korean and Iranian nuclear 

programs, but it presents few details or depictions of China’s positions on or preferred solutions 

to these issues. 

As opposed to the above “traditional” security issues, the Chinese white paper offers greater detail on “nontraditional” security issues and MOOTW. If the Major Areas of Concern—Regional category were divided in this manner, the section on traditional security would receive 

an orange rating while the nontraditional section would receive a yellow rating. As the study 

is constructed, however, the category receives an orange rating due to the lack of detail about 

traditional security concerns. On internal areas of concern the white paper presents a full description of the situation regarding Taiwan, including China’s policy approaches and desired 

outcomes. If this were the only Chinese internal security concern, the subcategory would receive a green rating. However, the paper contains only a vague mention of “strategic maneuvers and containment from the outside” and “disruption and sabotage by separatist and hostile 

Major Areas of Concern

International

Regional

Internal
19

Assessing Chinese Military Transparency

forces from the inside.” The paper acknowledges that China “is encountering many new circumstances and new issues in maintaining stability” and lists the separatist forces of “Taiwan 

independence,” “East Turkistan independence,” and “Tibet independence.” Although this is the 

first white paper to explicitly identify separatist forces, there is no discussion of these concerns, 

no mention of 2008 incidents and attacks in Tibet and Xinjiang, and no description of China’s 

approaches or policies designed to confront these issues. Even a cursory discussion of these issues would have resulted in the higher yellow rating. 

No white papers in this study received a green rating in all three categories of the Major 

Areas of Concern section. In part this is due to the methodological issue raised above. The separation of trends and issues is somewhat artificial and few countries structure white papers in 

this manner. Some countries such as the Philippines and Indonesia received a yellow rating in 

all three categories. These white papers both openly list and discuss specific areas of concern 

that are separate from the trends detailed in early chapters on the security environment or 

strategic context. However, even in these cases, neither offers more than a cursory description 

of approaches or policies designed. Interestingly the 2003 (but not the 2008) Indonesian white 

paper received a green rating in all three categories. For example, on the question of Indonesia’s 

border situations and disputes, the 2003 version discusses the state of each and then discusses 

Indonesia’s current efforts to resolve remaining disputes. This earlier version includes separate 

chapters on Threat Prediction and The Strategic Defense Interest. These chapters integrate Indonesia’s major areas of concern and security policy into the context of ongoing security trends, 

providing a comprehensive picture.

One final observation is that many countries receive high transparency marks in two 

of three categories, but very low transparency ratings on the third category. For example, the 

Australian white paper received a green rating on Major Areas of Concern—International and 

Regional, but a red on Internal. On the other hand, the Indian and Cambodian white papers 

showed greater transparency in Major Areas of Concern—Regional and Internal, but not International. As mentioned above, this could be attributed to each country’s specific circumstances 

and security situations. Australia does not have serious internal concerns that would receive 

much attention in a defense white paper. Cambodia, on the other hand, is more likely to detail 

internal areas of concern because of its unique security situation. 

Current Defense Posture—This section addresses the details and composition of a country’s armed 

forces. This includes total number of personnel serving in the defense forces of the country, the organization of the armed forces and the “order of battle,” the chain of command and the structure of 
20 

China Strategic Perspectives, No. 1

decisionmaking, and the weapons systems and equipment of the armed forces. The section is broken down into total personnel, structure of force, command structure, and armaments categories.

The ratings of categories within the Current Defense Posture section vary but generally 

receive a low transparency rating. In previous white papers, the overall size of the PLA was 

presented in relation to the downsizing of the PLA. The 2008 white paper is the first version of 

China’s white paper that does not include an overall figure for the size of the PLA. A discussion 

similar to the one found in the 2006 version on the relative change in size among the services 

is also not included in the 2008 version. The only discussion of total personnel is found in the 

Militia chapter which states that the size of the militia will decrease from 10 million to 8 million 

in the period of 2006–2010. This represents a surprising drop in the rating of this category for 

the 2008 defense white paper.19

Chapters on the PLA Army, PLAN, PLAAF, Second Artillery Corps, and the PAPF, Reserves, and Militia provide some information on their respective force structures. The paper 

identifies the number of army combined corps (18), the number of fleets and their names, 

and the division of the air commands and headquarters into specific geographic commands 

with subordinate aviation divisions and regiments of various types. While this provides a 

basic overview of how each service is structured, it does not identify or provide the number 

of such units within this structure. For example, the paper does not present details on the 

number of flotillas that comprise the North Sea (Beihai) fleet or give the number of ships 

within each flotilla. 

The individual service chapters and The Armed Forces and the People chapter provide a 

description of the division of responsibilities, authority, and decisionmaking among central and 

local authorities and within each of the services. A chart found in the 2006 version illustrating 

command authority (Appendix I in the 2006 white paper) is not included in the 2008 white 

paper. However, the details found in the text remain sufficient in describing the basic command 

structure for a yellow rating. This section does not receive a green rating because it does not 

Current Defense Posture

Total Personnel

Structure of Force

Command Structure

Armaments
21

Assessing Chinese Military Transparency

describe how these separate chains of command (for example in the Central Military Commission, between the services, or between political and military personnel) interact during operations or in wartime. 

Each of the service chapters contains general descriptions of the types of armaments 

and hardware the services operate or are beginning to deploy. For example, the air force 

chapter says that the PLAAF “has in the main established a major battle weaponry and equipment system with third-generation aircraft and ground-to-air missiles as the mainstay, and 

modified second-generation aircraft and ground-to-air missiles as the supplement.” The navy 

chapter states the PLAN is equipped with “nuclear-powered strategic missile submarines, nuclear-powered attack submarines and conventional submarines...destroyers, frigates, missile 

boats, mine sweepers, landing ships and services ships.” The description of Second Artillery 

armaments is especially lacking in any details about platforms or armaments (discussed below). Overall, the 2008 defense white paper does not identify or discuss any specific weapons 

systems, which is necessary for a yellow rating. It also does not provide the number of such 

platforms currently in service, necessary for a green rating. Finally, the white paper is somewhat ambiguous in identifying the platforms that are currently in service as opposed to those 

that are scheduled to enter service in the near future. 

Japan has easily the most transparent white paper in discussing current defense posture 

and is the only country to receive a green rating in all four categories. Part II, Chapter 2 and 

the reference section contain an assortment of charts, figures, maps, and detailed descriptions 

covering all four categories. There is a clear discussion of the number of personnel in the SDF, 

and Reference Chart 60 in the appendix contains figures on the personnel within each service. 

The paper presents multiple maps that detail the deployment of divisions, brigades, air force 

squadrons, and fleets throughout Japanese territory. A variety of charts present details on the 

structure of the ground self-defense force (GSDF), maritime self-defense force (MSDF), and 

air self-defense force (ASDF), breaking down each into tactical components. The reference appendix also contains an organizational diagram of the SDF that fully identifies and names individual units and lists their locations. 

Part II, Chapter 1 discusses civilian control of the military and the role of the Prime Minister, the Cabinet, and the Minister of Defense in defense policy. Part III, Chapter 1 details the 

legislative process and response in the case of an armed attack, the role of specific officials, the 

responsibilities of the federal and local institutions, the joint operations structure, and the role 

of intelligence collectors. This section also contains a description of the basic chain of command and the process used to formulate responses to previously discussed traditional and 
22 

China Strategic Perspectives, No. 1

nontraditional security contingencies and scenarios and an organizational chart of the Ministry 

of Defense. Although descriptions of joint operations during a crisis or wartime could be more 

detailed, they satisfy the criteria for a green rating. One aspect that separates the Japanese white 

paper from other white papers is the inclusion of information on how political and military 

command structures interact during an actual crisis. 

Finally, the Japanese white paper offers full and descriptive details on armaments. Part II, 

Chapter 2 discusses the number of vehicles, artillery pieces, aircraft, ships, submarines, helicopters, and other major systems in the SDF. References 14 through17 detail the specifications of 

individual weapons platforms, the number possessed, and even identification and specifications 

of individual MSDF vessels.

Defense Management—This section addresses a country’s defense budget and future procurement 

plans. This includes overall spending on the armed forces and defense, budget figures that provide historical context for current defense spending or information on future spending plans, and 

planned weapons systems or capabilities procurements. The section consists of overall budget, budget trends, and planned acquisitions or procurement categories.

Defense Management is one of the least transparent areas of the Chinese white paper. 

The chapter Defense Expenditure includes a figure for China’s 2008 defense budget (RMB 

417.769 billion). The paper presents a comparison of China’s budget to other countries and 

as a percentage of China’s GDP and state expenditure. Chart 1 divides China’s 2007 defense 

expenditures into three categories: Personnel, Training and Maintenance, and Equipment. 

The caption briefly explains what is covered within these three components. For the first time 

these figures are further divided by active and reserve force (this information is derived directly from the PRC’s September 2008 submission to the UN Military Budget Transparency 

Mechanism general categories.)20 However, the Chinese white paper does not detail what 

portion of the equipment category is devoted to procurement, what portion is devoted to 

research and development, or the level of spending within these categories. The section does 

Defense Management

Overall Budget

Budget Trends

Planned Acquisitions or Procurement
23

Assessing Chinese Military Transparency

not discuss any defense-related expenditure not included in the official defense budget, even 

though a significant amount of Chinese defense-related expenditure (including procurement 

of foreign weapons systems) is not included in the official budget.21 No information is provided on the budgets of individual services. 

The 2008 white paper includes a more detailed discussion on the rationales behind defense 

expenditure increases and a chart of China’s defense spending from 1978 to 2008 (Appendix V). 

The chapter presents year-to-year percentage increases in defense expenditure in the period of 

2006–2008 and provides the average percentage increase in defense expenditure in the periods 

of 1978–1987 (3.5 percent), 1988–1997 (14.5 percent), and 1998–2007 (15.9 percent). This information places China’s past defense expenditures into historical context, but the white paper 

does not provide an estimated or projected size of the defense budget beyond 2008 (necessary 

for a green rating).

The white paper offers a general description of some capabilities China plans to acquire 

in order to fulfill modernization benchmarks in 2010, 2020, and the mid-21st century. The 

information here overlaps with the discussion of China’s capabilities as described above; the 

difference between current and future capabilities often remains ambiguous. There is some description of recently developed or developing PLA Army and PLAN capabilities and of capabilities the PLAAF desires. There is markedly less discussion on the Second Artillery’s planned 

acquisitions or procurement. At no point does the white paper discuss any specific weapons 

platforms, quantities, or timelines for procurement or purchases.

Japan again provides the best case example.22 Part II, Chapter II, Section 5: Defense-Related 

Expenditures and Reference 20 provide the necessary information for a green rating in the budget 

and budget trends category. It includes a total defense budget figure, division of spending into functional categories with detailed discussion of procurement and R&D, and costs outside the defense 

budget including those associated with the Special Action Committee on Okinawa (SACO) and the 

U.S. forces realignment-related expenses. This section also displays historical budget figures and a 

forecast of procurement expenses. Part II, Chapter II, Section 3: Mid-Term Defense Program discusses defense funding for the past several years (FY2005–2009) detailing major procurement and 

development projects for the SDF under the Mid-Term Defense Program. This includes a chart detailing these plans and projects. Additional charts and figures detail more specific spending such as 

Necessary Expenses and Contract Amounts of Material Expenses over the previous mid-term defense 

program (FY2001–2005) and current mid-term defense program, respectively. Section 4 of the same 

chapter offers further detail on recent and ongoing procurements under the title Build-up of Defense 

Capability for FY 2008. Supplemental information in References 18–21 provides more detailed and 
24 

China Strategic Perspectives, No. 1

full historical budget information. Although the 2008 Japanese white paper does not include budget 

projections past 2009, this is due to the timing of its release (at the end of Japan’s five-year mid-term 

defense program).23 Finally, throughout these chapters and in References 9, 12, and 13, the paper 

presents a comprehensive description of the major weapons platforms Japan plans to procure in the 

near term, in many cases including a procurement schedule.

International Activity—This section addresses the international activities of a country’s armed 

forces. This includes the country’s defense relationships, military exchanges, and joint exercises 

with other nations, participation in international defense organizations, and participation in bilateral or multilateral peacekeeping or humanitarian missions. The section consists of Relationships, Exchanges, and Joint Exercises, and PKO/humanitarian missions categories.

The white paper provides a description of China’s international relationships, exchanges, and 

joint exercises in Chapter XIII: International Security Cooperation. It also provides a comprehensive 

chart listing Major International Exchanges of the Chinese Military 2007–2008 (Appendix I), Joint 

Exercises and Training with Foreign Armed Forces 2007–2008 (Appendix II), and Imports and Exports 

of Seven Major Types of Conventional Arms 2007 (Appendix IV). Chapter XIII, International Security 

Cooperation, details China’s participation in UN peacekeeping operations (PKOs). Appendix III provides further information in a chart detailing China’s international peacekeeping and humanitarian 

missions from 1990 to November 2008. This includes the number of PLA personnel involved, types 

(observers, staff officers, or police), dates deployed, and their role in these missions. 

A number of Asia-Pacific white papers offer best case examples, including Japan, South 

Korea, Singapore, and China. The Japanese and Korean white papers both devote full chapters 

to their relationships and exchanges and involvement in international peacekeeping operations. 

Both papers include appendices with charts, similar to the Chinese white paper, containing 

dates, locations, and brief descriptions of exchanges, joint exercises, and PKOs. Both the Japanese and Korean papers include specific chapters on their alliance with the United States. The 

Korean paper also includes a section and appendix (14) on engagement and exchanges with 

North Korea. Although the Singaporean white paper does not include an appendix or detailed 

International Activity

Relationships/Exchanges/Joint Exercises

PKO/Humanitarian Missions
25

Assessing Chinese Military Transparency

chart, it includes detailed descriptions of its exchanges, joint exercises, and involvement in 

PKOs within the text of the white paper. 

China’s Defense White Papers from 1998 to 2008

We used the rating criteria to evaluate the transparency of China’s six defense white papers from the first in 1998 to the most recent in 2008. Figure 3 illustrates the findings, which 

indicate a gradual but modest increase in transparency over the 10-year period. With minor 

fluctuations, the General Defense Policy section has steadily increased in transparency. Planned 

Acquisitions and Procurement (2006), Command Structure (2006), and Relationships, Exchanges, 

and Joint Exercises (2000) improved to a greater level of transparency at a certain point and 

remained constant thereafter. Not all increases (or decreases) in transparency over this decade 

are captured in the color coding. Some categories show marginal improvement over time that 

does not meet the criteria for a higher rating. For example, the 2008 paper showed marginal improvements in Security Environment—International that were not sufficient to receive a higher 

rating. The white paper presents some analysis of trends but not in a deep or broad enough 

manner across all trends identified for a green rating. 

Other categories have consistently remained at a low level of transparency. These include 

Security Environment—Internal, Major Areas of Concern—Internal, Structure of Force, Armaments, Budget Trends, and Planned Acquisitions and Procurements. The 2008 White Paper 

also was less transparent in a few categories. For example, Major Areas of Concern—Regional

and Internal both presented slightly less information than in previous years. It is not apparent in figure 3, but within the Major Areas of Concern—Regional category the discussion of 

nontraditional security issues is much more detailed than discussion of traditional security 

concerns. On Major Areas of Concern—Internal, the 2008 white paper is more forthright than 

any previous paper about identifying specific separatist groups, but the actual discussion of 

separatism is less specific than in previous papers. Finally, the Personnel category drops to a 

red rating in the 2008 white paper, which contains no mention of the total number of PLA 

personnel. All previous white papers made some mention of total personnel, usually in the 

context of PLA downsizing.

The Overall Budget and Budget Trends categories present some interesting transparency issues. Although these categories consistently receive medium transparency ratings, there have been 

no significant improvements over the last 10 years. The 2008 version for the first time breaks down 

the budget into regular, reserve, and militia components and contains more complete historical 

figures. However, no version of the white paper contains more specific information on research 
26 

China Strategic Perspectives, No. 1

Chinese Defense 

White Paper 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008

Security 

Environment

International

Regional

Internal

National Security 

Goals

Strategic

Tactical 

General Defense 

Policy

Doctrine 

Missions 

Major Areas of 

Concern

International

Regional

Internal

Current Defense 

Posture

Total Personnel 

Structure of Force

Command Structure

Armaments

Defense 

Management

Overall Budget

Budget Trends

Planned Acquisitions

International 

Activity

Exchanges

PKO Missions

Figure 3. Comparison of China’s Defense White Papers over Time
27

Assessing Chinese Military Transparency

and development, weapons procurement, spending outside of the regular defense budget, or projected future budgets. The Overall Budget and Budget Trends categories have maintained the most 

standardized content, presenting almost exactly the same limited information in every version.

Although Chinese defense white papers show a slight increase in overall transparency over 

time, there continue to be fluctuations in the rating for some individual categories. Each version 

of the white paper tends to emphasize a different aspect of China’s defense policy, often at the expense of other sections. For example, information on Current Defense Posture is almost completely 

absent in the 2004 white paper, which is heavily focused on legal and personnel management 

issues. Earlier versions, such as 1998, 2000, and 2002, tended to spend more time defining basic 

terms and concepts associated with National Security Goals and General Defense Policy. Relative 

to other versions, the 2006 white paper presented increased information on the structure and missions of auxiliary forces such as the PAPF, Civil Air Defense, Militia, and Border Forces. 

The existence of apparent themes in different versions of the white paper may indicate how 

Chinese officials view the relationship between each version of the white paper.24 The Chinese perspective may be that each new version should be read as an “update” of previous white papers, rather 

than as an independent document. In many cases, the newest version of the white paper does not 

elaborate on concepts or terms already defined and discussed in previous versions. For example, 

the 1998 paper details the “New Security Concept” and “the five principles of peaceful coexistence.” 

In the 2000 paper, however, the “New Security Concept” is referred to but not discussed. In other 

cases, specific numbers, figures, or details listed in one white paper do not reappear in subsequent 

versions. The 2002 white paper offers extensive detail on the structure of the PLAAF, while the 2006 

version presents details on the structure of the PAPF. In both cases this information does not reappear in subsequent white papers. Comments by PLA officials have not helped resolve this ambiguity. 

In December 2008, Senior Colonel Chen Zhou highlighted the introduction of new information on 

the structure of the PLA and the services in 2000 and the inclusion of detailed information on the 

PLAAF in 2002. However, he did not resolve ambiguity on whether this information, presented only 

on one occasion, remains accurate and official.25

Some other countries such as Australia, Singapore, and Brunei have in the past or still 

employ an “update” format for defense white papers. These countries are direct and explicit in 

stating that this “update” must be read as a supplement to an original or base white paper. The 

update paper often directs the reader to refer back to the original for definitions and figures. 

In cases like this—where the connection between the original and update white papers was explicit—we considered both the original document and the update as one paper. However, as this 

update dynamic remains ambiguous in the Chinese case, our study considered each Chinese 
28 

China Strategic Perspectives, No. 1

white paper as an independent document. The appearance and then disappearance of information and issues often leads to ambiguity and confusion. A discussion about this issue with the 

authors of the Chinese white paper would provide clarity and possibly help foreign analysts 

avoid making erroneous assumptions.

Comparison: China and ASEAN Member States

We compared China’s 2008 White Paper with the most recent white papers from eight 

Southeast Asian countries that are members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations 

(ASEAN). In general, we concluded that China’s degree of transparency was roughly comparable with that of the ASEAN countries. Only Indonesia and the Philippines—both with demoWhite Paper Standardization and Format

Choi Kang’s original paper emphasizes the importance of a standardized format and 

consistent content in increasing the transparency of a white paper over time. Chinese defense white papers do retain a fairly standardized format and consistent content in some 

areas, including Security Environment, Budget, Arms Control and Proliferation, and International Activity. However, other aspects of the white paper’s structure and content are more 

variable. Information on the services, personnel, auxiliary services, and legal developments 

fluctuates from year to year. 

Other white papers, such as the Japanese, follow a standard format from year to year, 

allowing easy comparison over time. Lack of standardization may be the product of China’s 

apparent thematic or updating tendency. Other countries that use an update format (Brunei 

and previously Australia) align the chapters of the update with the original white paper. 

China does not do this in a consistent manner. 

There are some indications that the drafters of the Chinese defense white paper are developing a more standardized format and content. In past versions there has been an obvious 

imbalance in information on each individual service. For the first time, the 2008 version included separate chapters on each service with more standardized content. Chen Zhou seemed 

to acknowledge this effort prior to the release of the 2008 white paper. He stated, “Based 

on maintaining the stability of policy elaboration and style continuity, there are significant 

changes in both the structure and content of the new white paper.”26 The latest Chinese format 

is comparable with some of the more transparent white papers in the region. It will be worth 

watching whether this format is maintained in the next release of the white paper.
29

Assessing Chinese Military Transparency

cratic governments—offered a generally greater level of overall transparency. Figure 4 indicates 

some differences in the degree of transparency in Southeast Asia. For example, Indonesia and 

the Philippines are very thorough in their discussion of the Security Environment compared to 

other countries. China and Singapore provide many details on their International Activity and 

engagement with other countries. China and ASEAN countries all tend to lack transparency 

in their descriptions of specific military capabilities in Current Defense Posture and details on 

budgets in Defense Management. If countries in ASEAN are considered as China’s peer group, 

the Chinese white paper offers comparable or slightly greater transparency than its neighbors.

Comparison: China and Other East Asian and Asia-Pacific White Papers

We also compared China’s 2008 defense white paper with five other Northeast Asian and 

Asia-Pacific white papers. China does not compare as favorably with this group in terms of transparency. They generally possess greater military power, are more economically developed, and are 

more democratic than the members of the ASEAN group. China’s overall transparency is roughly 

comparable with India’s, although not necessarily in the same categories. China also matches well 

with this group in International Activity. However, Australia, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan all 

consistently offer greater transparency in five of the seven sections. Japan and South Korea represent the most transparent of all white papers surveyed. Not only do they offer the most detailed 

information and analysis, but they are also the most standardized in form and content over time.

China compared more closely than expected with Australia and India on Current Defense 

Posture and Defense Management. Two factors help explain this. First, the criterion for a green 

rating in the budget category is a breakdown of defense spending into functional components. 

The Indian white paper contains a breakdown by service, but does not break down the budget 

by functional category. Although this information is very relevant for military transparency, it 

does not meet requirements for a yellow rating under a strict interpretation of the criteria. Second, Australia and India publish official budget reports that are easily available on their respective ministry of defense Web sites. (This is true for many of the countries within this grouping.) 

We did not include information from other government documents in our assessments for this 

study. However, they do contain official and publicly available information intended to be read 

alongside the white paper. Many of these supplemental documents fill in the areas of low transparency in the Australian white paper. It is worth noting that the Chinese government does not 

publish this type of additional official information in areas like defense budget or military force 

structure. In these cases, the limited amount of information in the Chinese defense white paper 

represents the extent of officially available information. 
30 

China Strategic Perspectives, No. 1

Figure 4. Comparison of China’s Transparency Ratings with Those of ASEAN Member States

White papers China

2008

Brunei

2004/07

Cambodia

2006

Indonesia

2008

Laos 

2005

Philippines

1998

Singapore

2000

Thailand

2005

Vietnam

2009

Security Environment 

International

Regional

Internal

National Security Goals

Strategic

Tactical

General Defense Policy

Doctrine 

Missions 

Major Areas of Concern

International

Regional

Internal

Current Defense Posture

Total Personnel 

Structure of Force

Command Structure

Armaments

Defense Management

Overall Budget

Budget Trends

Planned Acquisitions

International Activity

Exchanges

PKO Missions
31

Assessing Chinese Military Transparency

Figure 5. Comparison of China’s Transparency Ratings with Those of Other East 

Asian and Asia-Pacific White Papers

White papers China

2008

Australia 

2008

India 

2008

Japan 

2008

South 

Korea 2006

Taiwan 

2008

Security 

Environment 

International

Regional

Internal

National Security 

Goals

Strategic

Tactical

General Defense 

Policy

Doctrine

Missions

Major Areas of 

Concern

International

Regional

Internal

Current Defense 

Posture

Total Personnel 

Structure of Force

Command Structure

Armaments

Defense 

Management

Overall Budget

Budget Trends

Planned 

Acquisitions

International 

Activity

Exchanges

PKO Missions
32 

China Strategic Perspectives, No. 1

Finally, for both the ASEAN and Asia-Pacific group it is worth considering the individual 

context and environment under which governments produced their defense white papers. Many 

white papers rated in figure 5 receive low transparency ratings in Security Environment—Internal and Major Areas of Concern—Internal. Most include brief listings or discussions of natural 

disasters and economic factors, but otherwise do not discuss internal issues. Considering their 

relative domestic stability, an absence of detail beyond natural disasters should not be surprising. This dynamic holds true in other cases where countries received low transparency ratings, 

as well. For example, Vietnam and Taiwan contain little or no information on peacekeeping 

operations.27 A lack of international activity rather than an exclusion of relevant information 

helps explain this omission. Similarly, while some ASEAN countries like Cambodia are very 

transparent on internal security issues, they present very little information regarding international security issues. This could indicate an overriding focus on internal issues rather than a 

deliberate ambiguity or lack of transparency.

Australia’s 2008 White Paper 

One anomaly in our study is the relatively low transparency rating Australia’s 2008 

defense white paper received in a number of categories. This is especially notable because 

the Australian white paper is a remarkably candid strategic document. It clearly defines 

Australia’s strategic environment and identifies potential threats. National security goals 

and strategic interests are clearly articulated and linked to a well-defined defense posture. 

The white paper systematically focuses on how Australia’s strategic priorities, interests, and 

objectives should affect and shape the strategic posture, missions, and capabilities of the 

Australian Defense Force. 

The low rating is an artifact of strict application of the methodology employed in the 

study along with the nature of the 2008 Australian white paper, which is designed as a 

vision statement rather than a full detailing of Australian defense policy, force structure, 

and organization. Australia produces numerous other official documents, including a series 

of annual papers detailing the defense budget (www.defence.gov.au/budget/), a Capability 

Fact Book, a Defense Capability Development Manual and Plan, Force 2020, and Joint Operations for the 21st Century. However, our emphasis on a comparable, objective methodology 

meant that we did not consider any documents beyond the defense white paper we were 

evaluating. In Australia’s case, this methodology produces a rating significantly lower than 

our subjective judgment of Australian transparency on defense issues.
33

Assessing Chinese Military Transparency

Conclusions

China’s advances in military modernization and sustained double-digit increases in defense spending have raised concerns in the United States and in the Asia-Pacific region about 

the purposes behind the modernization and what this may indicate about China’s future intentions. These concerns initially emerged in the aftermath of Chinese efforts to expand its military 

position in disputed areas of the South China Sea in the mid-1990s and its use of ballistic missile 

tests to intimidate Taiwan in 1995 and 1996. The decision to begin issuing defense white papers 

was partly intended to address what the Chinese government calls the “China threat theory” 

by showing a greater degree of transparency on military issues. Our analysis of the six Chinese 

defense white papers suggests that there has been a gradual but modest increase in Chinese 

military transparency over the last decade. 

Of course, white papers are not the only source of official information on China’s military 

and its defense policy. China releases defense information that goes well beyond the white paper in some areas. PLA official publications (PLA Daily, books published by the Academy of 

Military Science and China’s National Defense University Press, and military journals), briefings from the newly established MND Information Office, and official Chinese media outlets 

provide valuable information on Chinese military doctrine, organizational issues, training, and 

some exercises and operational deployments such as the PLA Navy’s counterpiracy deployment 

to the Gulf of Aden. A sophisticated reader with good Chinese language skills can learn a lot 

about the PLA from examining publicly available sources. However, on other issues such as 

defense budgets, force structure, and military modernization, the white paper defines the official PRC position and additional information is not available from any other official sources. 

Moreover, some important issues are not addressed adequately in any official PRC documents. 

For example, there have been no detailed public statements explaining the rationale for China’s 

January 2007 test of a direct ascent antisatellite (ASAT) weapon or outlining China’s efforts to 

develop counterspace capabilities. Similarly, China has not provided public information about 

its ongoing nuclear modernization (including the development of two new ICBMs and one new 

SLBM) or made any public statements about its planned future nuclear force structure. 

When compared with the white papers of Southeast Asian countries, China’s 2008 defense 

white paper is at roughly the same level of transparency. However, it is worth highlighting that 

several Southeast Asian countries such as Indonesia and the Philippines provide much more detailed assessments about international, regional, and internal security challenges and the policies they are pursuing to address these challenges.
34 

China Strategic Perspectives, No. 1

If China’s 2008 defense white paper is compared with others from Northeast Asia and 

the Asia-Pacific region, it is clear that China lags significantly in transparency. These white 

papers provide more detailed assessments of the security environment, descriptions of the policies being pursued to address security challenges, and much more detail about current military capabilities, force structure, budgets, and future modernization efforts. This conclusion is 

strengthened if one also considers that many of these countries release a great deal of information about budgets, force structure, and defense policies in other official documents that were 

not considered in our study. 

If China decided to increase the transparency in its defense white papers, what areas 

should it focus on? 

■ Defense Budget: China’s white paper provides some basic information, but lacks specific figures for important categories such as service budgets, research and development 

spending, and procurement. One major issue is that a significant amount of defenserelated spending—including procurement of foreign weapons systems—is not included 

in Chinese official figures for defense expenditure (and the cost of such spending is not 

provided in other publicly available documents). Unlike many East Asian countries, 

China provides no information about future defense spending plans. It could follow the 

example of other Asia-Pacific countries by releasing more detailed budget information 

or even a separate report on defense expenditure.

■ Nuclear Weapons: China’s white paper provides no information about specific delivery 

systems, modernization programs, or future nuclear force structure. Given the fact that 

China is upgrading and expanding its nuclear arsenal, a clearer sense of approximate 

future force levels would ease international concerns, even if information is provided in 

round numbers or discussed in terms of conditions that would affect future force levels.

■ Current and Future Weapons Systems: China’s white paper is notable for its lack of 

any specific information on the types and numbers of weapons systems in service, under development, or being considered for acquisition. Some other East Asian countries 

provide detailed information about current inventory and future procurement plans 

in their white papers. Lack of official information fuels speculation and exaggerated 

projections about future Chinese capabilities.
35

Assessing Chinese Military Transparency

■ Connecting security objectives with military capabilities: China’s white paper provides 

a reasonably good discussion of military doctrine and the generic types of capabilities 

needed to execute doctrinal requirements. However, it falls short compared to some 

other Asia-Pacific white papers in discussing how current and projected military capabilities will help China attain its national security objectives. This raises questions 

about whether China’s stated objectives are congruent with increasing defense spending and expanding military capabilities, potentially undermining the credibility of 

peaceful development rhetoric. 

In trying to develop an objective methodology for evaluating and comparing military 

transparency, we have emphasized specific criteria that can be assessed in a comparable and 

replicatable manner. However, subjective criteria also contribute to assessments of a country’s 

overall degree of transparency. In China’s case, the consistent emphasis on tight message control 

on security issues, the reluctance of Chinese officials, military officers, and experts to answer 

questions frankly, and the limited availability of information on military capabilities all create 

doubts about the degree to which China is really being transparent. Some of these factors are 

artifacts of China’s political system, but others could be addressed via policies that provide more 

information and a greater degree of openness.

Chinese officials and military officers frequently argue that there is no such thing as perfect 

transparency and that greater transparency benefits stronger countries at the expense of the 

weak. However, China’s growing economic and military power makes major countries such as 

Japan, South Korea, India, and Australia a much more appropriate basis of comparison than 

smaller and weaker countries in Southeast Asia. Judged against this yardstick, China is significantly less transparent than its peers, especially in the areas of defense budget, force structure, 

and future modernization plans. Because China’s military capabilities are growing and its defense budget is now the largest in the Asia-Pacific region, lack of transparency about future 

capabilities is likely to increase regional concerns and aggravate security dilemma dynamics. It 

may also reinforce the tendency for others to exaggerate or overstate PRC capabilities due to a 

lack of reliable information.

China’s relative lack of transparency compared to other major Asia-Pacific states not only 

affects its external relations, but also has a negative effect on internal PRC discussions about 

foreign-policy, defense, and international security issues. Lack of detailed information about 

Chinese military capabilities, defense spending, and modernization plans inhibits domestic 

debates and objective analysis from outside military circles. When Chinese academics discuss 
36 

China Strategic Perspectives, No. 1

China’s military modernization or its nuclear capabilities, they invariably refer to Western estimates because their own government does not release official information. Although Chinese 

government officials and military officers criticize the U.S. Department of Defense’s annual report on Chinese military power, that report provides more detailed and up-to-date information 

about Chinese military capabilities than any official Chinese government documents.28 Greater 

transparency about military budgets and military capabilities would not only help ease foreign 

concerns about China’s growing military capabilities, but also support higher quality analysis of 

defense issues by its own analysts and a better informed domestic debate about military issues and 

spending priorities.

We believe the basic methodology developed and employed in this study provides a reasonably objective way to evaluate transparency in a comparative fashion. Although a full assessment of transparency requires considering a country’s unique context and using all publicly 

available information, the methodology employed in this study provides a useful starting point 

to explore how different countries within the Asia-Pacific region approach military transparency. It offers a comparison of relative military transparency across the Asia-Pacific region and 

an analysis of trends in transparency throughout the region. The methodology and findings can 

help serve as a basis for discussion about transparency in regional security dialogues.29 Any region or group of countries, including those outside the Asia-Pacific region, could use this study 

to identify areas where countries could improve transparency by providing more information, 

and highlight “best practices” that others could emulate. Our hope is that this analysis can be 

a starting point for a useful discussion about transparency among Asia-Pacific countries and 

contribute to a more stable and peaceful Asia-Pacific security environment. 
37

Appendix

Appendix: Definitions and Rating Criteria

Security Environment—International: A discussion of current or developing trends in the 

international community that threaten or have the potential to threaten international peace and 

security or destabilize the international system. 

■ No section or discussion on any current or developing trends that threaten the international community.

■ Contains a section that includes a list of current or developing trends in the international 

security environment but does not describe or analyze these trends.

■ Contains a section that lists and describes current or developing trends in the international security environment but does not analyze their significance.

■ Contains a section that lists, describes, and also analyzes the significance of current and 

developing trends in the international security environment.

Security Environment—Regional: A discussion of current or developing trends in the 

Asia-Pacific region that threaten or have the potential to threaten Asia-Pacific security or destabilize the region.

■ No section or discussion on any current or developing trends that threaten the region.

■ Contains a section that includes a list of current or developing trends in the Asia-Pacific 

region but does not describe or analyze these trends.

■ Contains a section that lists and describes current or developing trends in the Asia-Pacific 

region but does not analyze their significance.

■ Contains a section that lists, describes, and also analyzes the significance of current and 

developing trends in the Asia-Pacific region.

Security Environment—Internal: A discussion of current or developing trends within the 

country that threaten or have the potential to threaten internal security, destabilize the government, or otherwise require use of the armed forces.

■ No section or discussion of any current or developing trends that threaten the country internally.

■ Contains a section that includes a list of current or developing trends within the country 

but does not describe or analyze these trends.
38 

China Strategic Perspectives, No. 1

■ Contains a section that lists and describes current or developing trends within the country 

but does not analyze their significance.

■ Contains a section that lists, describes, and also analyzes the significance of current and 

developing trends within the country.

National Security Goals—Strategic: A description of the full array of economic, political, 

social, and security objectives that are critical to the country and its national security (for example: 

economic growth; maintaining democratic governance; preventing single power dominance in the 

region; preserving sovereignty).

■ No section or discussion on national security objectives.

■ Contains a section listing aspects of national security but does not describe specific objectives which are critical to national security. 

■ Contains a section describing national security objectives but the section does not prioritize these objectives or explain how they are important for national security. 

■ Contains a section that not only describes national security objectives but also prioritizes 

these objectives or explains how they are important for national security.

National Security Goals—Tactical: A description of the policy approaches the country pursues to ensure strategic national security objectives are fulfilled (for example: strengthening the 

role of ASEAN; preventing barriers to trade; preserving freedom of navigation at sea; engaging in 

international exchanges; developing infrastructure).

■ No section or discussion on the policy approaches of the country.

■ Contains a section that lists vague policy approaches the country follows in order to secure 

national security objectives but does not specifically describe these approaches (for example: “enhancing regional cooperation” but not “enhancing regional cooperation through 

strengthening ASEAN”). 

■ Contains a section that describes specific policy approaches the country follows in order to 

secure national security objectives but does not define a comprehensive approach explaining 

how these approaches will support national security objectives (for example: “enhancing regional cooperation through strengthening ASEAN” but not “strengthening ASEAN in order 

to discourage single power dominance and promote multilateral cooperation”).
39

Appendix

■ Contains a section that describes specific policy approaches the country follows in order 

to secure national security objectives and explains how these are important in ensuring 

strategic national security objectives. 

General Defense Policy—Doctrine: A description of the approach, framework, or principles that guide defense policy.

■ No section or discussion of the country’s doctrine.

■ Contains a section that identifies the country’s doctrine or the principles and approaches 

that comprise the country’s doctrine but does not describe these or their role in general 

defense policy.

■ Contains a section that describes the country’s doctrine or the principles and approaches 

that comprise the country’s doctrine but does not describe their role in defense policy.

■ Contains a section that defines and describes the country’s doctrine and its role in defense policy.

General Defense Policy—Missions: A description of the primary internal and external 

missions, responsibilities, or roles assigned to the armed forces (for example: preventing invasion; 

ensuring party control; protecting maritime territory; preventing terrorist attacks; developing infrastructure; promoting social cohesion).

■ No section or discussion on the missions, responsibilities, or roles of the armed forces, the 

role of each service (army, navy, air force, etc.), or the strategies/tactics the armed forces 

will employ to accomplish these missions. 

■ Contains a section that identifies the general missions, responsibilities, or roles of the 

armed forces but does not identify the individual missions or roles of each service 

(army, navy, air force, etc.), or describe how the armed forces or services will conduct 

these missions. 

■ Contains a section that describes the general missions, responsibilities, or roles of the 

armed forces and identifies the individual missions, responsibilities, or roles of each service (army, navy, air force, etc.), but does not describe how the armed forces or services 

will conduct these missions. 

■ Contains a section that describes the general missions, responsibilities, or roles of the 

armed forces; describes the specific missions, responsibilities, or roles of each service 
40 

China Strategic Perspectives, No. 1

(army, navy, air force, etc.); and describes the types of actions and operations tactical units 

will carry out to fulfill these missions. 

Major Areas of Concern—International: A discussion of specific international situations, 

issues, conflicts, or problem spots that may concern or threaten the country.

■ No section or discussion of specific international situations, issues, conflicts, or 

problem spots.

■ Contains a section that includes a list of international situations, issues, conflicts, or problem spots but does not include a description or analysis of concerns and does not discuss 

the country’s national strategies, plans, or positions on how to respond.

■ Contains a section that includes a listing and description of international situations, issues, 

conflicts, or problem spots but does not include a detailed analysis of concerns or discuss 

the country’s position or policies.

■ Contains a section that includes a listing and detailed analysis of international situations, 

issues, conflicts, or problem spots and a discussion of the country’s position or policies.

Major Areas of Concern—Regional: A discussion of specific issues, conflicts, or problem 

spots in the Asia-Pacific region that may concern or threaten the country. 

■ No section or discussion of specific issues, conflicts, or problem spots in the AsiaPacific region.

■ Contains a section that includes a list of situations, issues, conflicts, or problem spots in 

the Asia-Pacific region but does not include a description or analysis of concerns and does 

not discuss the country’s national strategies, plans, or positions on how to respond.

■ Contains a section that includes a listing and description of situations, issues, conflicts, or 

problem spots in the Asia-Pacific region but does not include a detailed analysis of concerns or discuss the country’s position or policies.

■ Contains a section that includes a listing and detailed analysis of situations, issues, conflicts, or problem spots in the Asia-Pacific region and a discussion of the country’s position 

or policies.

Major Areas of Concern—Internal: A discussion of specific issues, conflicts, or problem 

spots within the country that may concern or threaten the country. 
41

Appendix

■ No section or discussion of specific issues, conflicts, or problem spots within the country.

■ Contains a section that includes a list of situations, issues, conflicts, or problem spots 

within the country but does not include a description or analysis of concerns and does not 

discuss the country’s national strategies, plans, or positions on how to respond.

■ Contains a section that includes a listing and descriptions of situations, issues, conflicts, or 

problem spots within the country but does not include a detailed analysis of concerns or 

discuss the country’s position or policies.

■ Contains a section that includes a listing and detailed analysis of situations, issues, 

conflicts, or problem spots within the country and a discussion of the country’s position or policies.

Current Defense Posture—Total Personnel: A statement of the total number of personnel 

serving in the defense forces of the country.

■ No figure or mention of any kind on the size of the country’s armed forces.

■ Contains a figure indicating the total number of personnel serving on active duty in the 

regular armed forces. However, there is no breakdown of the number of personnel in each 

service or discussion of the number of personnel serving in reserve forces, National Guard, 

civil defense, or paramilitary forces. 

■ Contains a figure indicating the total number of personnel serving on active duty in the 

regular armed forces, and a breakdown of the number of personnel in each service. However, does not include detailed figures on the number of personnel serving in reserve forces, National Guard, civil defense, or paramilitary forces.

■ Contains a figure indicating the total number of personnel serving on active duty in the 

regular armed forces, a breakdown of the number of personnel in each service, and figures 

on the number of personnel serving in reserve forces, National Guard, civil defense, or 

paramilitary forces.

Current Defense Posture—Structure of Force: A description of the organization of the 

armed forces and the “order of battle.” (Naval fleets and flotillas; Army groups, corps, divisions, and 

brigades/regiments; Air Wings and squadrons; etc.)

■ There is no breakdown of personnel or services into specific units or “order of battle.” 
42 

China Strategic Perspectives, No. 1

■ Contains information on the types of units that compose the structure of the armed forces 

but does not list the number of such units or identify specific units. (For example: this may 

include a statement that armies are broken down into corps, divisions, and regiments but 

does not include the quantity or identity of such units.) 

■ Contains information on the types of units that compose the structure of the armed forces and 

lists the number of such units but does not include a comprehensive organizational chart or 

identify specific units. (For example, this may include the total number of army divisions, naval 

flotillas, and air wings, but would not include a description like “18th armored division.”) 

■ Contains a full description, organizational chart, or regional breakdown of the military 

force structure including types, quantities, and identities of major types of units.

Current Defense Posture—Command Structure: A description of the chain of command 

and the structure of decisionmaking throughout the armed forces.

■ There is no description of the command structure. 

■ Contains a general description of national command authority and the chain of command 

between political and military organizations and leaders but does not mention the specific 

geographic or service command structures or the chain of command during wartime or in 

joint operations. 

■ Contains a description of the national command authority and chain of command at the 

highest political-military levels as well as a listing of leadership structures at specific geographic or service command structures, but there is no description of how the chain of 

command functions during wartime or in joint operations.

■ Contains a comprehensive description of the national command authority and the chain 

of command from the highest command levels down to specific geographic commands 

and service command structures, and describes how the chain of command functions during wartime or in joint operations.

Current Defense Posture—Armaments: A description of the weapons systems and equipment the armed forces use to conduct national security missions.

■ No section or discussion of the weapons systems and equipment employed by the 

armed forces.
43

Appendix

■ Contains a section that mentions some of the general means (for example, patrol vessels, 

transport helicopters, tanks, and fighters) employed to fulfill national security missions 

but does not list or describe any specific weapons systems or equipment.

■ Contains a description of the primary weapons systems and equipment (for example, F-16 

fighters) employed to fulfill national security missions but does not include a comprehensive listing or table of the primary types and quantities of these systems.

■ Contains a description of the primary weapons systems and equipment and includes a 

comprehensive listing of the primary types and quantities of these systems (for example, 

150 F-16 fighters).

Defense Management—Overall Budget: A statement of the overall spending on the armed 

forces and defense.

■ There is no mention of the overall size of the defense budget in any form.

■ Contains a total defense budget figure expressed in dollars or as a percentage of GDP. 

However, there is no discussion of the breakdown of the budget into different functional 

categories (for example, personnel, operations and maintenance, procurement, research 

and development) or discussion of defense-related spending not included in the overall 

defense budget.

■ Contains a total defense budget figure that is further divided into general categories such 

as personnel, operations and maintenance, procurement, and research and development. 

However, no specific budget figures are provided for procurement and research and development and there is no discussion of defense-related spending not included in the official 

defense budget.

■ Contains a total defense budget figure that is divided into general spending categories such 

as personnel, operations and maintenance, procurement, and research and development. Includes specific budget figures for procurement and research and development and some discussion or estimates of defense-related spending not included in the official defense budget.

Defense Management—Budget Trends: Budget figures and/or projections that provide historical context for current defense spending and information on future spending plans. 
44 

China Strategic Perspectives, No. 1

■ No historical, current, or future budget information that could be used to evaluate the size 

of the current defense budget relative to past defense budgets, or any estimates of future 

defense budget size.

■ Contains sufficient historical information to determine whether current defense spending 

is increasing, decreasing, or remaining the same in relation to past defense spending. 

■ Contains a projection of defense budget trends sufficient to indicate whether near-term 

defense budgets are expected to increase, decrease, or remain about the same. (For example, this might include a statement that defense spending should reach a certain percentage of GDP.) However, this projection does not include specific dollar estimates/projections or provide a detailed defense budget plan into the near to medium term. 

■ Contains a detailed defense budget projection in dollar amounts or outlines an official 

budget plan for the near to medium term. 

Defense Management—Planned Acquisitions or Procurement: A description or listing of 

weapons systems or capabilities that the armed forces are scheduled or plan to acquire in the near 

to medium term.

■ No discussion of what capabilities or weapons systems the country is looking to acquire or 

is already scheduled to acquire.

■ Contains a general description of the types of military capabilities (for example, patrol 

vessels, transport helicopters, tanks, fighters) the country seeks to acquire in the near to 

medium term but does not detail specific systems, sources of procurement, procurement 

time lines, or quantity of units the country plans to acquire.

■ Contains a description of the specific systems (for example, F-16 fighters) the country 

seeks to acquire but does not detail sources of procurement, procurement time lines, or 

quantity of units the country plans to acquire.

■ Contains a detailed description of the military capabilities the country seeks to acquire in 

the near to medium term. Offers a comprehensive description or table listing specific systems, sources of procurement, procurement time lines, and quantity of units the country 

plans to acquire. 
45

Appendix

International Activity—Relationships, Exchanges, and Joint Exercises: A listing or description of the country’s defense relationships, military exchanges, and joint exercises with other 

nations or participation in international defense organizations.

■ No discussion of the armed forces’ involvement abroad. 

■ Contains a vague listing of the type of international activities the armed forces are involved 

in but does not include details of these activities, offer examples of these activities, or 

contain a comprehensive listing of specific relationships, exchanges, and joint exercises in 

which the armed forces participate.

■ Contains a description of the types of relationships, exchanges, and joint exercises the 

armed forces participate in, possibly including illustrative examples, but does not include 

a comprehensive list or description of specific international activities. 

■ Contains a detailed discussion or list of the armed forces’ current international relationships and exchange programs, including detailed information such as partners, dates, extent of the relationship, or content of joint exercises. 

International Activity—PKO/Humanitarian Missions: A listing or description of recent 

or current participation in bilateral or multilateral peacekeeping or humanitarian missions where 

personnel, equipment, or resources are committed.

■ No discussion of the armed forces presence abroad in actual international missions. 

■ Contains a vague listing of the type of international missions the armed forces are involved 

in but does not include details of these missions, offer examples of these missions, or contain a comprehensive listing of specific missions in which the armed forces participate.

■ Contains a description of the type of missions the armed forces participate in, possibly 

including illustrative examples, but does not include a comprehensive list or description of 

specific international missions. 

■ Contains a detailed discussion or list of the armed forces’ recent and current international 

missions, including specific information such as types and number of personnel, equipment 

and capabilities employed, or the specific role(s) the armed forces play(ed) in these missions.
46 

China Strategic Perspectives, No. 1

Notes 1 For a summary of China’s military modernization that discusses these developments, see Office 

of Secretary of Defense, Annual Report to Congress: Military Power of the People’s Republic of China, 2009. 

Available at <http:// www.defense.gov/pubs/pdfs/China_Military_Power_Report_2009.pdf>.

2 See <http://www.aseanregionalforum.org/> and <http://www.cscap.org/>.

3 For a summary of Chinese views, see Ho Zhitong (head of delegation) letter to the Chairman 

of the UN Disarmament Commission, April 25, 1991. A/CN.10/146. For a more recent discussion, see 

Luo Yuan, “China to Increase Military Transparency,” China Daily, October 25, 2007. 

4 China: Arms Control and Disarmament, Information Office of the State Council of the 

People’s Republic of China, November 1995, Beijing; China’s National Defense, Information Office of 

the State Council of the People’s Republic of China, July 1998, Beijing; China’s National Defense in 2000, 

Information Office of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China, October 2000, Beijing; China’s 

National Defense in 2002, Information Office of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China, 

December 2002, Beijing; China’s National Defense in 2004, Information Office of the State Council of 

the People’s Republic of China, December 2004, Beijing; China’s National Defense in 2006, Information 

Office of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China, December 2006, Beijing; China’s National 

Defense in 2008, Information Office of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China, January 20, 

2009, Beijing. China’s defense white papers are available for download at <http://www.china.org.cn/

e-white/index.htm>.

5 Luo Yuan, “China to Increase Military Transparency,” China Daily, October 25, 2007. 

6 The United States does not produce a white paper but does produce a range of publications 

that collectively provide comparable information. See the 2008 National Defense Strategy, June 2008, 

available at <http://www.defenselink.mil/pubs/>; Quadrennial Defense Review Report, February 6, 2006, 

available at <http://www.defenselink.mil/pubs/>; The National Security Strategy of the United States of 

America, March 2006; The National Military Strategy of the United States of America, 2004; The Office of 

the Undersecretary of Defense (Comptroller) annual budget figures, available at <http://www

.defenselink.mil/comptroller/>.

7 For a discussion of Chinese views on transparency, see Gregory Kulacki, “Chinese Perspectives on Transparency and Security,” Union of Concerned Scientists, January 13, 2003. Available at 

<http://www.ucsusa.org/>.

8 Countries in this study continue to produce updated white papers. Our research concluded in 

early 2009. Since that time countries such as Japan and Taiwan have released new white papers.

9 Ann Florini, “The End of Secrecy,” Foreign Policy 98, no. 111 (Summer 1998), 50–63.

10 Center for Disarmament Affairs, UN Disarmament Yearbook, vol. 17, 1992.

11 We worked with the English versions of the white papers that were published by each country. The quality of the English translation varied, which sometimes raised issues of clarity, but did not 

prevent an assessment of transparency.

12 Kang Choi, “An Approach to a Common Form of Defense White Paper,” The Korean Journal 

of Defense Analysis 8, no. 1 (1996). Sibylle Bauer offers five similar criteria that can be used to assess 

transparency: availability, reliability, comprehensiveness, comparability, and disaggregation. Sibylle 
47

Assessing Chinese Military Transparency

Bauer, “The Europeanisation of Arms Export Policies and Its Impact on Democractic Accountability,” 

unpublished Ph.D. Thesis, Universite libre de Bruxelles and Freie Universitat Berlin, May 2003. Cited 

in Petter Stalenheim and Eamon Surry, “Transparency in Military Expenditure and Arms Production,” 

presented at the Xiangshan Forum, October 22–24, 2006. Available at <http://sipro.org>.

13 Regarding availability, a number of white papers used in this study, (e.g., Thailand and Vietnam) proved difficult to obtain. As Dr. Choi highlights, making white papers easily available to other 

countries is an important way to increase transparency. Establishing a regional repository for defense 

white papers that is freely accessible could be a useful function for a regional security organization.

14 Mongolia used Dr. Choi’s template as a starting point for producing its defense white paper.

15 Choi, “An Approach to a Common Form of Defense White Paper.” See also Ralph Cossa, 

ed., Promoting Regional Transparency: Defense Policy Papers and the UN Register of Conventional Arms

(Pacific Forum CSIS Occasional Papers, Honolulu, 1996) and Choi Kang and Panitan Wattanayaogorn, 

“Development of Defense White Papers in the Asia-Pacific Region” in Arms, Transparency, and Security 

in South-East Asia, ed. Bates Gill and J.N. Mak, SIPRI Research Report No. 13, Oxford University Press, 

1997. 

16 After initial experiments with a three-tiered rating system, we decided to use four tiers to 

capture gradations in transparency with more precision. 

17 Michael Kiselycznyk and INSS intern Anne Meng evaluated the initial set of white papers. 

Updated white papers from five countries were obtained while finalizing the project, which were evaluated 

by Michael Kiselycznyk and Major Luke Donohue to develop up-to-date ratings. Michael Kiselycznyk and 

Phillip Saunders evaluated the Chinese and Vietnamese defense white papers.

18 By a “strict interpretation” we mean that in cases where supplemental information relevant to 

but not matching the rating criteria was presented in the white paper, the raters selected the lower rating. For example, the Indian white paper includes a breakdown of the defense budget into service categories but not functional categories. Although information on service budgets is valuable and should 

be encouraged, it did not fit the rating criteria for a yellow rating and therefore India still received an 

orange rating. Although in some cases this results in an artificially low rating, it allows greater comparability among the different white papers.

19 This omission might be the result of a rumored additional round of reductions in the total 

number of PLA personnel that has not yet been finalized.

20 China began participating in this UN mechanism in 2007. Xinhua News Agency, “China 

Submits 2007 Military Expenditure Report to UN,” September 4, 2008, available at <http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-09/04/content_9771257.htm>.

21 Dennis J. Blasko, Chas W. Freeman, Jr., Stanley A. Horowitz, Evan S. Medeiros, and James C. 

Mulvenon, “Defense-Related Spending in China: A Preliminary Analysis and Comparison with American Equivalents,” United States-China Policy Foundation, 2007. 

22 On the overall budget category, the Australia and India white papers are almost a best case 

example but do not include a functional breakdown. Instead each breaks the budget down by services. 

23 We expected the 2009 Japanese defense white paper (not assessed in this study) to include 

budget projections through 2014. However, the newly-elected Japanese government (led by the Democratic Party of Japan) decided to postpone creation of a new five-year mid-term defense program for a 
48 

China Strategic Perspectives, No. 1

year. We expect the 2010 white paper to include defense budget projections based on a new five-year 

defense program. 

24 See David M. Finkelstein, “Defense White Paper ‘Themes,’ 1998–2008,” in Dr. Alison A. 

Kaufman, China’s National Defense in 2008—Panel Discussion Report, CNA China Studies and National 

Defense University/Institute for National Strategic Studies joint report, May 2009, 13–14.

25 “China’s ‘White Paper’ Opens Mind to World,” Jiefangjun Bao Online, December 15, 2008.

26 Luo Zheng, “Jiandingbuyi de fengxing fangyuxing guofang zhengce: (2008 nianzhong de 

guofang) baipishu zhuanfang junshi kexueyuan yanjiuyuan Chen Zhou” [Steadfastly Pursue Defensive 

National Defense Policy—An Exclusive Interview with Chen Zhou, Research Fellow with the Academy 

of Military Sciences, on the White Paper “China’s National Defense 2008”] Jiefangjun Bao [PLA Daily], 

January 21, 2009, 8.

27 Vietnam’s 2009 defense white paper discusses the future possibility of Vietnamese participation in PKOs and humanitarian missions. Vietnam received an orange rating because the paper addressed Vietnam’s position on participation but did not receive a higher rating because no details about 

what Vietnam is considering were offered.

28 The white papers from Japan and Taiwan also include more information about Chinese military capabilities than China’s own defense white papers.

29 Past efforts include the CSCAP working group on Asia Pacific Confidence and Security 

Building Measures that met in the mid-1990s and ASEAN Regional Forum efforts to establish regional 

agreement on the concept and principles of preventive diplomacy.

Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge the work of Dr. Choi Kang and Dr. Panitan Wattanayagorn on Asia-Pacific military transparency and white papers, which served as a starting 

point for this study. We would like to thank former INSS interns Anne Meng and Major Luke 

Donohue, U.S. Army, and INSS contract researcher Ross Rustici for serving as second raters for 

the white papers used in this study. The study benefited significantly from the constructive comments of Dr. Patrick Cronin, Colonel Steve Mullins, USA (Ret.), Ralph Cossa, Michael Glosny, 

and Isaac Kardon, as well as INSS peer reviewers Dr. Christopher Yung and Dr. Lewis Stern. We 

also thank Renee Manorat for her help in obtaining one of the white papers. 

About the Authors

Dr. Phillip C. Saunders is a Distinguished Research Fellow and Director of Studies for the 

Center for Strategic Research in the Institute for National Strategic Studies (INSS) at the National Defense University (NDU). He also serves as Interim Director of the Center for the Study 

of Chinese Military Affairs. He has worked on China and Asia security issues at NDU since 

January 2004. He previously worked at the Monterey Institute of International Studies, where 
49

Assessing Chinese Military Transparency

he served as Director of the East Asia Nonproliferation Program from 1999–2003 and taught 

courses on Chinese politics, Chinese foreign policy, and East Asian security. Dr. Saunders has 

conducted research and consulted on East Asia security issues for Princeton University and the 

Council on Foreign Relations and previously worked on Asia policy issues as an officer in the 

U.S. Air Force. Dr. Saunders has published numerous articles and book chapters on China and 

Asia security issues; his recent publications include “Bridge over Troubled Water? Envisioning a 

China-Taiwan Peace Agreement,” in International Security 33, no. 4, and INSS Strategic Forum 

242, Managing Strategic Competition with China (NDU Press, 2009). Dr. Saunders attended 

Harvard College and received his MPA and Ph.D. in International Relations from the Woodrow 

Wilson School at Princeton University.

Mr. Michael Kiselycznyk joined INSS as a Research Assistant in Spring 2007. He has 

worked on a range of issues including Chinese civil-military relations, Chinese military 

modernization, and U.S. strategic issues in the Asia-Pacific region. Before joining INSS, Mr. 

Kiselycznyk received a Master’s degree in International Security at the University of Denver’s 

Josef Korbel School of International Studies, during which time he also traveled to Peking 

University to study Mandarin.

Center for Strategic Research Staff

Dr. Richard B. Andres

Energy Security Chair

Mr. Julian Baker

Project Office Manager

Ms. M. Elaine Bunn

Distinguished Research Fellow

Mr. James Clad

Adjunct Research Fellow

Mr. John A. Cope

Senior Research Fellow

Ambassador Luigi Einaudi

Adjunct Research Fellow

Dr. Ellen Frost

Adjunct Research Fellow

Dr. T.X. Hammes

Senior Research Fellow

Col Michael P. Hughes, USAF

Senior Military Fellow

Mr. Mike Kiselycznyk

Research Assistant

Mr. Michael Kofman

Program Manager

Dr. Christopher J. Lamb

Distinguished Research Fellow

Dr. Andre Le Sage

Senior Research Fellow

Mr. Leo G. Michel

Senior Research Fellow

Mr. Evan Munsing

Subject Matter Expert

Ambassador Robert B. Oakley

Distinguished Fellow

Dr. James Douglas Orton

Subject Matter Expert

Dr. John Parker

Visiting Research Fellow

Dr. James Przystup

Senior Research Fellow

CAPT Mark Redden, USN

Senior Military Fellow

Ms. Ferial Saeed

Visiting Research Fellow

Dr. Phillip C. Saunders

Distinguished Research Fellow

Ms. Eva Silkwood

Research Assistant

Dr. Lewis Stern

Visiting Research Fellow

Mr. Hiroshi Suenaga

Visiting Research Fellow

Ms. Linda B. Vaughn

Administrative Support Assistant

Dr. Judith Yaphe

Distinguished Research Fellow

Dr. Christopher Yung

Senior Research Fellow