General Liu Yuan [China.org.cn]

General Liu Yuan, in charge of the General Logistics Department of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), is son to the late Liu Shaoqi, one of founding figures of the People's Republic of China. When asked if there is going to be a war between China and Japan during a recent exclusive interview with www.china.org.cn, he said not so fast.

"Working in the army, it's a soldier's obligation to fight in battles," Liu said. "It is our mission to fight, and will figure out how to win. But we should also make it clear to people from all walks of life what war is and what it will cost.

"We've been at peace for a long period of time, and civilians don't understand what war is. It's violent and the cost is high. We should not use this approach if we can solve our problems using other methods," Liu said.

General Liu explained that countries always have their own bottom lines and that China and Japan are both just angry while trying to save face. "We have all inherited the wisdom of Deng Xiaoping, and we should have the wherewithal to assess the overall situation and see what is best for both China and Japan. One of an army's primary duties is to protect national interests and let the people live in peace and safety." he said.

After Japan lodged formal protests over alleged radar-locks that Chinese frigates put on a Japanese destroyer and navy helicopter in February, China dismissed the claim and reiterated the country's stance over the disputed Diaoyu Islands.

"It's a ridiculous claim," Liu said. "In international waters, this is how radar works. You aim at me, I aim at you. This is normal operating procedure; it's very far from war. It has been blown out of proportion."

The general voiced support for China using its maritime police force to engage the Japanese Coast Guard, thus reducing tensions between China and Japan.

"But I will reiterate my position – fighting wars are my duty. But I also have an obligation to educate our government, foreign countries and citizens what fighting a war will mean. We will not engage in wars to solve our problems, but we will fight and win if necessary," Liu noted.

General Liu Yuan also discussed corruption within the army. "Any countries' government and armies have problems such as corruption. Identifying such problems is the first step forward in solving them," Liu said.

"Of course, during the process to fight corruption, each country has their own political considerations, sometimes there are intertwined interests. So this is difficult, and it is a universal problem for all the countries. But I think our Party's central committee, the State Council, National People's Congress and the PLA now have all realized the seriousness of the problem, and are committed to solving it. This is a big step forward. Both the media and regular citizens play a major role in bringing about this change," he said.