Safeguard regional harmony
China is in dialogue with neighbors regarding South China Sea disputes that arose following the discovery of resources
An important aspect of Chinese military thinking can be illustrated by the teaching of Chinese military strategist Sun Tzu in the Spring and Autumn Period (770 - 476 BC). His teachings state that the supreme art of war is to subdue the opponent without fighting. This speaks volumes for the core value of the Chinese culture represented by the character "he", referring to peace, reconciliation and harmony, which continues to retain significance for today's world.
Today, the Western media often play up the "China Threat", as if it was a great power suddenly emerging out of nowhere. China had long ranked top in terms of naval power, at least before the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). This can be testified by the seven expeditions made by explorer Zheng He sponsored by the Ming rulers, almost a century ahead of Christopher Columbus's discovery of the "New World".
