Noteworthy in China's Defense White Paper: 1.6 of 2.3 million PLA forces are for domestic 'social stability'.

The author reflects on the publication of the Chinese government's document "The Diversified Applications of China's Armed Forces," also known as the Chinese Defense White Paper. She discusses the contents of the paper, which details the country's defense policies and strategies, services strength, and weapons development. However, the author asserts that the nation's defense policy and weapons development are also ambiguous and their lack of transparency has dogged the Chinese leadership.