China works to form "equal, mutually beneficial and effective" mechanisms for military confidence-building, says a white paper on the country's national defense issued?Thursday.

The white paper, issued by the Information Office of the State Council, for the first time included a chapter specially about the military confidence-building.

Military confidence-building is an effective way to maintain national security and development, and safeguard regional peace and stability, the report says.

With political mutual trust as the groundwork and common security as the goal, military confidence-building mechanisms should be based on the principles of holding consultations on an equal footing, mutual respect for core interests and recognition of major security concerns, not targeting at any third country, and not threatening or harming other countries' security and stability, the report says.

In recent years, China has held extensive strategic consultations and dialogues with relevant countries in the field of security and defense to enhance mutual understanding and trust, and to strengthen communication and coordination, the report says.

To date, China has established mechanisms for defense and security consultation and dialogue with 22 countries.

"China consistently pursues a foreign policy of building an amicable relationship and partnership with its neighbors," the report says.

The country attaches great importance to border area confidence-building measures, strengthens friendly military exchanges in border areas, and actively prevents dangerous military activities, all of which have helped preserve peace and stability on the borders, it says.

The country takes an active part in dialogue and cooperation on international maritime security, the report says.

According to the report, it strictly complies with the UN Charter, the United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and other universally recognized norms of international relations.

China perseveres in dealing with traditional and non-traditional maritime threats through cooperation, and strives to maintain maritime security through multiple peaceful ways and means, the report says.

China takes an active part in establishing security dialogue and building security mechanisms in the Asia-Pacific region, strengthens mutual political trust and security cooperation with Asia-Pacific countries, promotes military confidence-building, and endeavors to maintain regional peace and stability, the report says.

China develops its military relations with foreign countries in a comprehensive manner, continues to strengthen its practical exchanges and cooperation with the armed forces of other countries, and strives to foster a military security environment featuring mutual trust and benefit, the report says.

In the last two years, senior PLA delegations have visited more than 40 countries, and defense ministers and chiefs of general staff from more than 60 countries have visited China.

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