China's 2012 military additions

Some of China's new military additions have attracted attention from foreign media this year, including the country's very first aircraft carrier, Liaoning ship. The aircraft carrier was rebuilt from the Soviet Varyag, and commissioned into the People's Liberation Army Navy in September.

The J-15, also known as Flying Shark, is a carrier-based jet fighter; and the J-20, a twin-engine stealth fighter, has been likened to the US F-15C. Another of China's new 2012 additions is the Type 052D destroyer, which a Russian military website said greatly enhanced China's naval power.

Finally, the China Beidou Navigation System, which offers free civilian positioning and navigation services over the Asia-Pacific region, was described by the Wall Street Journal as allowing China to fend off aerial attacks.