"China's development strengthens the world's forces for peace, and the country will never seek hegemony or engage in expansionism no matter what stage of development it reaches," Xinhua said, using standard Chinese terms defining its stance as purely defensive in nature.
In its 2004 report on military and security developments involving China, the U.S. Defense Department portrayed China's ever-growing ambitions, saying the "PLA concepts and capabilities focus on projecting power far from China's shores."
The navy's movement from offshore defense to open seas protection and the air force's interest in becoming a strategic force "reflect the PLA's interest in conducting operations beyond (China) and its immediate periphery," the department said.