A government report released on Wednesday emphasized maritime security in safeguarding China's national security.

The threats currently facing China mainly come from the sea, according to "China's Ocean Development Report (2013)," which was released by the China Institute for Marine Affairs under the State Oceanic Administration.

"Since 2012, the most direct maritime security problems have been security threats posed by sovereignty disputes over islands," the report says.

The report cited possible military conflicts caused by sovereignty disputes as the main security threat facing China.

The strategic adjustment of foreign powers in the Asia-Pacific region will exert lasting and significant influence on China's maritime security, but China's maritime security polices have not fundamentally changed, the report says.

"China will adhere to a road of peaceful development and insist on resolving marine disputes peacefully," it says.

The report says many countries have given the sea a bigger role in their national development and security strategies.

China will strengthen its capability to handle international maritime affairs over the next 20 years, the report says.

China will also expand its exploration of oceanic resources and accelerate the research and development of deep-sea technologies, the report says.

(Xinhua News Agency May 8, 2013)