The centennial goal of strengthening its military will not only help China better protect its sovereignty and territorial integrity, but also better safeguard its important development interests, says senior colonel Zhou Bo (retired), a senior fellow at the Center for International Security and Strategy, Tsinghua University.

The goal has been included for the first time in the documents released after the conclusion of the Fifth Plenum of the 19th Communist Party of China Central Committee.

Unlike some media outlets claim, China's military development is not a threat to world peace, says Zhou, adding that China needs to build a stronger military to better protect its growing interests overseas. As a major country, China also needs to shoulder its international responsibilities, just as its navy has been doing by escorting merchant vessels, both Chinese and foreign, in the Gulf of Aden, he says.