Can China become a military superpower?

Beijing has outlined its defense plans that include a modern and advanced army.

Global military competition is on the rise and China believes it's lagging behind.

Beijing says the U.S. has increased its defense budgets, modernised its weapons, and developed its capacity in cyberspace - and space itself.

And the Chinese government wants to catch up. Now it's detailed how it intends to do just that.

In a national defense paper released on Wednesday, Beijing declares it wants greater modernization of its armed forces and weapons.

It says its ambitious plans are peaceful, but not if Taiwan tries to achieve independence from the mainland.

China's defense ministry has warned it is ready to go to war to safeguard its national unity.

And it says it will take all necessary measures to defeat those it calls 'separatists'.

It has also accused the U.S. of undermining global stability.

So how will this defense policy play out, both in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond?