BEIJING — China has pledged to take on greater responsibility for regional and global security including increasing its military might, with a warning to small and medium countries in the region to avoid taking sides between big powers.

In its first policy White Paper on Asia-Pacific security cooperation amid growing mistrust among neighbours, Beijing urged major countries in the region to reject the Cold War mentality as well as respect other’s legitimate interests and concerns.

“Small-and medium-sized countries need not and should not take sides among big countries,” cautioned China in the White Paper, which was released today (Jan 11).

All countries should seek cooperation instead of confrontation, and pursue partnerships rather than alliances, added the paper that sought to improve existing multilateral frameworks, beef up military exchanges and offer proper settlement of differences.

“The current security structure in the region is not satisfactory, which has led to mistrust among the nations,” deputy foreign minister Liu Zhenmin said at a press conference to explain the policy paper.

According to the paper, China faces “diverse and complex security threats” and bears the “arduous task of safeguarding national unity and territorial integrity”.

But China, the paper added, continues to support the creation of international and regional rules agreed by all countries rather than being dictated by any particular country.

Rules of individual countries should not automatically become “international rules,” and countries should not be allowed to violate the lawful rights and interests of others under the pretext of rule of law, it pointed out.

As China prepares to play a bigger role in global security, it plans to increase military exchanges and build a strong national defence force.

“Its security and development interests is a strategic task in China’s modernisation drive, and provides a strong guarantee for its peaceful development. China’s armed forces support the country’s development and contribute to the maintenance of world peace and regional stability,” the White Paper said.

China also assured regional countries that it remains committed to resolving disputes peacefully through negotiation and consultation and upholding peace and stability as well as freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea.

China has been embroiled in territorial disputes over the East and South China Seas in recent years. It has deployed fighter jets and navy vessels around the waters, triggering concerns over its use of military might to push for its claims. Beijing has also ignored the ruling of an international tribunal last year invalidating its expansive claims in the regional waterway.

Some of the small- and medium-sized countries in the region, including Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam have urged China to respect diplomatic and legal processes, as well as relevant international law in settling territorial disputes.

The White Paper maintained that China and the Association of South-east Asian Nations (Asean) will strengthen maritime cooperation and steadily advance consultations on the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea.

The Phlippines, as current chairman of Asean, expressed hope today (Jan 11) that a code of conduct for the bloc and China over the disputed South China Sea will be completed by the middle of this year.

In its White Paper on Wednesday (Jan 11), China said it may “make the necessary response” to provocative action that infringes on its territorial sovereignty, maritime rights and interests, or behaviour that undermines peace and stability in the South China Sea.

Beijing is also increasingly suspicious of the United States’ strategic intentions, blaming its alliances with China’s neighbouring countries for causing instability in the region.

The policy White Paper blamed Seoul and Washington for installing the THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defence) anti-ballistic missile system.

“Such an act would seriously damage the regional strategic balance and the strategic security interest of China and other countries in the region, and run counter to the efforts for maintaining peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula,” it said. AGENCIES