A significant number of China’s military leaders are equipped with substantial aviation and aerospace expertise, a trend that will likely persist into President Xi’s third term.

The most recent white paper released by the Chinese government signals its explicit intentions to build up the PLA transparently and install it as a force for global peace-keeping, not military hegemony.

China’s recent military reforms aim to make the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) a more efficient and effective combat force. They will probably succeed in making at least some progress in these areas. What they do not do is suggest a fundamentally more aggressive or militant Chinese foreign policy—Beijing’s national security strategy remains constant even as the PLA is in flux.

The budget shows that Beijing views the region with optimism, as defense expenditure is the best indicator of a country’s security assessment. China’s lower budget reflects her belief that in spite of the spread of terrorism, exodus of refugees, tension on the Korean Peninsula and in the South China Sea, the world is not in a state of disorder.

Given the importance of both China and NATO, it is inconceivable that China and NATO don’t interact. Counter-piracy in the Gulf of Aden shows how both sides can work together to provide common security to the world.

China surprised President Obama and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon on Sept. 28 by promising to create an 8,000 strong standby peacekeeping brigade for use on the African Continent, which should reinforce its desire to be a responsible global power.

China is developing quickly both in terms of economy and military, and that is a natural process. Most major powers travelled the same way in the past, and a strong China helps preserve peace and stability in the world.

President Xi Jinping announced China would cut the number of its troops by 300,000 while addressing the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of WWII on Sept. 3. The large troop cut in the People's Liberation Army, the 11th of its kind since the founding of New China in 1949, shows the country's sincerity and determination to follow a peaceful development path.

Indecisive western responses to China’s military parade invitation are based ultimately on their profound worries about the potential impacts that China’s development will exert on the political and economic patterns of the present-day world.

It is no surprise that China’s recent military white paper emphasizes “enhancing joint operational capabilities”. The first step of cooperation could be in military operations other than war.