A new warm ‘n fuzzy white paper put out by the PRC goes out of its way to assure us they have the best of intentions and would never hurt a fly.

Specifically, the white paper sought to rebut critics who point to the emergence of Japan as a new economic power in the early 20th century as having helped create the conditions that led to World War II. Some specialists have suggested China’s emergence as an Asian power could also lead to disruption because it is bound to change long-existing relationships, particularly the United States’ role as dominant military power and security guarantor.

“China’s road of peaceful development is a brand new one for mankind in pursuit of civilization and progress,” the paper said, drawing a distinction between China’s rise and that of Japan a generation ago, “the inevitable way for China to achieve modernization and a serious choice and solemn promise made by the Chinese government and the Chinese people . . . China did not seek hegemony in the past, nor does it now, and will not do so in the future when it gets stronger.”

The 32-page white paper did not once use the expression “peaceful rise,” which previously was the government’s standard way to describe growth in Chinese power and influence. According to academic sources with access to thinking in the Communist Party and government, some senior officials felt the word “rise” carried unwelcome, perhaps threatening connotations of an advancing Asian colossus. As a result, “peaceful development” has become the term of art in most official discourse.

Also missing from the document was any mention of Taiwan, which U.S. officials consider among the places most critically affected by China’s rising power and its use of growing wealth to finance improvements to the military. China has vowed to re-integrate the self-ruled island into the mainland, by force if necessary, but maintains that this is an internal affair and not part of its foreign relations.

Much of the white paper (excepts of which I read here) reads like your typical China Daily article, chronicling all the lovely things China is doing to foster international good will and fight terrorism, etc. I try to imagine any other government putting out such self-serving tripe, but honestly, I can’t.