It's worth noting that China's defense policy is completely defensive in nature. Its defense spending is the lowest among the big countries in absolute terms. In per capita terms as well as in terms of the share of the GNP, it is among the lowest in the world. According to statistics, the 1996 defense budget of the United States exceeded 260 billion dollars, averaging 996 dollars per American. China's defense spending was only 8.7 billion dollars and 7 dollars per Chinese.
China is even no match for Japan, India or South Korea when it comes to defense expenditure.
What China desires most is a peaceful international environment, so that it can focus on economic development and improve the life of its 1.2 billion people. Because of this, China has firmly adhered to an independent foreign policy of peace and worked to maintain and develop friendly relations and cooperation with other countries. Even if it becomes stronger in the future, China will never pursue aggression and expansion, still less will it seek hegemony. This, as a matter of principle, has been written into China's Constitution. In practicality, China's large population requires all its resources to be devoted to its economic development.