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Xinhua: China Should Not Explicitly State the Specifics of Its Core National Interests

On August 1, 2010, Xinhua published an article by Han Xudong, a professor from the Strategy Department of the PLA National Defense University, saying that currently it is not appropriate for China to explicitly state what China’s “Core National Interests” are for the following three reasons:

  1. “Our military capability is not as good as America’s military capability in many respects. Publicly identifying our core national interests will place our diplomatic work and the uses of the armed forces in a passive position.” 
  2. “China does not have the power to protect all of its core national interests yet.”
  3. “As China integrates into the international community, the collision of various interests between China and other countries must increase. Thus, China must protect China’s national interests rather than just its core national interests.”

Source: Xinhua, August 1, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2010-08/01/content_13947214.htm