Experts on Key Points

1. Air & Outer Space

Wang Mingliang, a professor with Air Force Command College

The strategic requirement of building air-space capabilities and conducting offensive and defensive operations, as mentioned in the paper, is driven by the development of technologies that integrate air and space, as well as the challenges we're facing.

The world's leading military powers have been equipped with such technologies and even began weaponizing outer space to seek a commanding height in international strategic competition. Such weaponization would strengthen their military hegemony.

China has made remarkable progress in air and space technologies, but still lags behind the leading military powers and just focuses on serving the economy and society.

Outer space could greatly facilitate growth and people's daily life, including providing communication and monitoring. The weaponization process should be opposed and at least delayed.

2. Defense cooperation

Zhao Weibin, a researcher on China-US military relations with the PLA Academy of Military Sciences

The blueprint on defense cooperation between China and the US carried by the white paper is very positive, especially the two MOUs - namely the mechanism for the notification of major military activities as well as the rule of behavior for safety of air and maritime encounters. That reflects our growing mutual trust.

The level of bilateral military cooperation often goes along with the depth of the general relationship between the two nations, a point that has been well reflected in Beijing's defense cooperation with Moscow and Washington respectively.