国防部长常万全上将在第五届香山论坛的主旨发言（中英对照）

在第五届香山论坛的主旨发言

Keynote Speech at the Fifth Xiangshan Forum

国务委员兼国防部长 常万全上将

General Chang Wanquan, State Councilor and Minister of National Defense

2014年11月21日

November 21, 2014

女士们，先生们，朋友们：

Ladies and gentlemen,

Dear friends,

上午好！与各位相识、相聚于香山，感到非常高兴。我代表中华人民共和国国防部和中国人民解放军，对各位来宾出席第5届香山论坛表示热烈欢迎。借此机会，我愿就“中国军队与亚太安全”这一议题与大家交流看法。

Good morning! I am very glad to meet all of you here at Xiangshan. Let me begin by welcoming you all to the Fifth Xiangshan Forum on behalf of China’s Ministry of National Defense and the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). I wish to take this opportunity to share with you my views on this topic – China’s armed forces and Asia-Pacific security.

近年来，中国综合国力大幅提升，国防现代化建设不断推进，受到了世人的广泛关注。首先，我想结合中国国防和军队的历史与现状，介绍一下中国为什么要加快推进国防和军队现代化。

The remarkable growth of China’s comprehensive national power, and the continued progress in national defense modernization, have become a focus of international attention in recent years. First of all, I would like to explain, from both historical and contemporary perspectives, why China has accelerated the modernization drive of its national defense and armed forces.

一是基于对近代苦难历史的深刻反思。中国是世界文明古国之一，但大家都知道，近代以来中国封建统治者腐败无能，外国列强入侵不断，人民陷入半封建半殖民地的苦难深渊。经过百年抗争和不懈奋斗，中国人民终于真正掌握了自己的命运。我们深深懂得，在国家主权和安全问题上，“毋恃敌之不来，恃吾有以待之”。因此，中国推进国防和军队现代化建设，有效维护国家主权、安全和发展利益的决心意志是坚定不移的。

First, China has learned a bitter lesson from its wretched modern history. The Chinese civilization is one of the oldest in the world. As we entered the modern era, however, Chinese people suffered grievously in a semi-colonial and semi-feudal society because of the corruption and incompetence of their feudal rulers, coupled with unrelenting aggressions of foreign powers. Our people did not become masters of their own destiny until a century later, after a protracted struggle. When it comes to national sovereignty and security, the Chinese give great credence to the adage, “We should not rely on the likelihood of the enemy’s not coming, but on our own readiness to receive him.” Therefore, China is firmly determined to promote the modernization of its national defense and armed forces and effectively safeguard its national sovereignty, security and development interests.

二是基于守土卫疆的现实需要。中国国土面积大、人口众多，陆地边界和大陆海岸线、岛屿岸线漫长，特别是国家尚未实现完全统一。这些都对中国军队履行守土戍边职责提出了更高要求。应该说，建设巩固国防和强大军队，不仅十分必要，而且非常紧迫。还要看到，我们维护了自身的安全与稳定，也就是对亚太地区安全稳定的最直接贡献。

Second, military modernization serves China’s practical need to secure its own territory. China has a vast territory and a large population. Its land borders, mainland and island coastlines are very long indeed. In particular, China has not yet fully realized national reunification. These are all factors which place the Chinese military under heavy pressure in securing the country and its border areas. There is therefore a pressing need for China to strengthen its national defense and armed forces. It should also be noted that to defend our own security is a most direct contribution to the security and stability in the Asia-Pacific region.

三是基于适应世界新军事革命的客观要求。世界新军事革命正在加速推进，各国都在抓紧进行军队现代化建设或开展不同程度的军队改革。目前，中国军队仍处于机械化尚未完成、信息化刚刚起步的发展阶段，与世界先进军事水平相比，还有很大差距。中共十八届三中全会作出深化国防和军队改革的决定，我们正紧紧围绕强军目标，构建中国特色现代军事力量体系，这是顺应时代发展的必然选择。

Third, China has to adapt to the revolution in military affairs. As the revolution in military affairs gains momentum worldwide, every country is dedicating efforts to modernizing its armed forces or conducting various degrees of military reforms. At present, the Chinese military has yet to become fully mechanized and its application of information technology is still at an early stage. It lags far behind those advanced military forces elsewhere in the world. A decision to strengthen the reform of China’s national defense and armed forces was adopted at the Third Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. Mindful of the goal of building a strong military, we are now exerting ourselves to develop a system of modern military force with Chinese characteristics. This is a sure choice that China has made in keeping with the times.

四是基于服从服务国家改革开放的发展大局。20世纪70年代末，中国开启了改革开放的伟大历史进程。中国军队始终服从服务于国家改革发展大局，为中国经济腾飞做出了独特贡献。进入新世纪以来，随着国家经济实力的不断增长，中国军队受益于此，逐步加快了推进现代化建设的步伐。这主要是为了确保国防建设与经济建设协调发展，更好地保障国家经济社会发展和海外利益拓展。但应当看到，中国并没有改变以经济建设为中心的基本国策，军力发展也始终维持在合理水平。

Fourth, military modernization serves the overall interests of China’s reform, opening up and development. China initiated the historic process of reform and opening up in the late 1970s. The Chinese military, committed to serving the larger goals of reform and development, has made a unique contribution to China’s economic takeoff. Since the beginning of the new century, China’s armed forces have benefited from the country’s economic growth and stepped up their efforts to pursue modernization. The move is mainly intended to ensure the balanced development of national defense and the economy, and provide a more effective safeguard to China’s economic and social development as well as its expanding overseas interests. It should be noted that China has not changed the basic state policy of taking economic development as the central task. Its military growth has always been kept at a reasonable level.

五是基于共同应对非传统安全威胁的责任义务。近年来，恐怖主义、分裂主义、极端主义“三股势力”的威胁上升，重大自然灾害频发，国际海上通道安全面临新挑战，各种非传统安全问题日益成为地区各国共同面对的问题。在此背景下，我们更加重视和平时期的武装力量运用，在联合国维和、国际反恐、护航、国际救援和人道主义救援等领域承担起更多的国际责任和义务。中国推进国防和军队现代化建设，也是为了与各国一道，更好地应对各种安全威胁，积极发挥负责任大国作用。

Fifth, China is under an obligation to work together with other countries to cope with non-traditional security threats. In recent years, the threats of terrorism, separatism and extremism have mounted, in addition to frequent and major natural disasters and new challenges to the security of sea lines of communication. Such non-traditional security issues have become the common concern of all countries in the Asia-Pacific region. Against this backdrop, we have attached greater importance to the employment of armed forces in peacetime. It has shouldered increasing international obligations in areas such as UN peacekeeping, international anti-terrorism, commercial vessel protection, international disaster relief, and humanitarian assistance. Accelerating the modernization of national defense and armed forces will also enable China to come up with a better response to the various security challenges in collaboration with other countries and live up to its role as a responsible major country.