BEIJING - China is committed to pursuing a defense policy which is defensive in nature, says a white paper titled " China's Peaceful Development" issued on Tuesday.

"China faces multiple traditional and non-traditional security challenges and the threat of separatists and terrorism," says the white paper issued by the information office of the State Council, or China's cabinet, adding that it is therefore necessary and justified to modernize China' s defense capabilities in order to uphold China' s security and protect its peaceful development.

The country has a vast land territory and sea area, with a borderline of over 22,000 kilometers and a coastline of over 18,000 kilometers.

The fundamental purpose of modernizing the Chinese armed forces is to safeguard China' s sovereignty, security, territorial integrity and interests of national development, say the white paper.

According to the document, China' s defense expenditures are appropriate and moderate, and are in keeping with the need to safeguard its security.

"China will not engage in arms race with any other country, and it does not pose a military threat to any other country," says the white paper.

China follows the principle of not attacking others unless it is attacked, and it is committed to solving international disputes and hotspot issues with peaceful means. The country actively carries out international military exchanges, promotes international and regional security cooperation and opposes terrorism in all forms.

The 13,000-word white paper introduces the path, objective and foreign policy of the peaceful development and elaborated on what China's peaceful development means to the rest of the world.

It says that China will unswervingly follow the path of peaceful development.

"Peaceful development is a strategic choice made by China to realize modernization, make itself strong and prosperous, and make more contribution to the progress of human civilization," according to the white paper.