BEIJING, Aug 1 : China's military warned on Saturday on its founding anniversary of growing risks along its borders, including in the disputed waters of the South and East China Seas.
The Chinese military, the world's largest, has embarked upon an ambitious modernisation programme in recent years.
That, along with rising defence spending, has jangled nerves around the region. China says it is a threat to nobody, but needs to update outdated equipment and has to be able to defend what is now the world's second largest economy.
In a front page editorial, the official People's Liberation Army Daily said the world was facing unprecedented changes.
"The situation surrounding our country is genera china sealy stable, but the risks and challenges are extremely severe, and the possibility of chaos and war on our doorstep has increased," it said.
"The maritime security environment is more complicated, and the undercurrents in the East and South China Seas have been gushing up," the paper wrote.
China has become increasingly assertive in its dispute with Japan over a group of uninhabited islets in the East China Sea, while in the South China Sea it has been reclaiming land in waters where Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan, Malay-sia and Brunei all have competing claims.      ?REUTERS