Keynote Speech by H.E. Liu Xiaoming, Chinese Ambassador to the UK, at the Meeting with the Defence Correspondents' Association: Shoulder Common Responsibilities and Bridge the "Peace Deficit"
各位记者朋友，
大家下午好！
很高兴出席防务记者协会举行的午餐座谈会，就中国的外交与国防政策以及一些大家关心的问题交流看法。
当前，世界正处于百年未有之大变局。和平与发展仍是时代主题，但国际安全形势面临的不稳定性、不确定性更加突出，世界并不太平。霸权主义、单边主义、民粹主义日益抬头，地区冲突和局部战争此起彼伏，极端主义和恐怖主义还在蔓延，国际安全体系和秩序日益受到侵蚀。正如习近平主席指出的，国际社会正面临“和平赤字”的巨大挑战。那么，如何才能破解“和平赤字”？今天，我想就“中国怎么办”和“世界怎么办”谈几点看法。
Friends from the Press:
Good afternoon!
It is a real delight to join you and talk about China's foreign and defence policies and other issues of interests.
The world is undergoing profound changes unseen in a century. Peace and development remain the theme of our times. But as instabilities and uncertainties are on the rise, the world is far from a tranquil place. With surging hegemonism, unilateralism and populism, incessant regional conflicts and wars, and spreading extremism and terrorism, the international security system and order are under threat.
As President Xi Jinping said, the international community is faced with the severe challenge of "peace deficit". How to bridge the "peace deficit"? Today, I would like to share with you my views on what China and the world can do.
首先，“中国怎么办”？中国的答案是一条道路、一个观念、一项使命：
第一，坚持走和平发展道路。中国“以和为贵”的文化传统、社会主义的国家性质和独立自主的外交政策，决定了中国始终不渝地走和平发展道路。这是中国根据时代发展潮流和国家根本利益作出的战略抉择，毫不动摇。中国无论发展到什么程度，也永远不称霸、永不扩张、永不谋求势力范围。中国将继续走和平发展道路，在和平共处五项原则基础上深化同各国的友好合作，同时希望各国一起走和平发展道路，共同促进世界的长久和平稳定。
First, what can China do to bridge the "peace deficit"? The answer lies in China's path, concept and mission.
First, China takes the path of peaceful development.
China is a socialist country with a peace-loving tradition and an independent foreign policy. The path of peaceful development is a natural choice for China. China has made this strategic choice in accordance with the trend of the times and China's fundamental national interests. We are committed to this path. It is true that China is developing and becoming stronger, but we will never seek hegemony, expansion or sphere of influence.
China will deepen friendly relations with all countries under the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence. At the same time, China hopes that other countries would also follow the path of peaceful development and work with China to build enduring peace and sustainable stability in the world.
中国坚定奉行防御性国防政策。新中国成立70年来，中国没有主动挑起过任何一场战争和冲突。改革开放以来，中国主动裁减军队员额400万。中国保持有限的核力量，完全是为了防御和威慑。中国是核大国中唯一承诺不首先使用核武器的国家。在联合国安理会五常中，中国国防费占国内生产总值比重、人均国防费都是最低的，2019年规模仅相当于美国1/4。近10年来，中国国防费占国内生产总值比重平均为1.32%，远低于2.4%的世界平均水平，中国人均国防费仅为美国的1/18、英国的1/9。
China's defence policy is defensive in nature. In the past 70 years since the founding of New China, China has never started a single war or conflict. It has even cut down military personnel by 4 million over the past 40 years.
China maintains limited nuclear power only for the purpose of self-defence and deterrence. China is the only nuclear power in the world to have promised no first use of nuclear weapons.
Of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, China has the lowest level of military expenditure both as percentage of GDP and in per capita terms. In 2019, it is only one fourth of that of the US. In recent decade, China's military expenditure had been around the level of 1.32% of GDP, far below the 2.4% world average. In per capita terms, China's military spending was only one eighteenth of the US and one ninth of the UK.
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