Radar still on Chinese, but it's all friendly fire The federal government has conspicuously softened Australia's tone towards China's military expansion in its latest defence blueprint in an apparent bid to consolidate its growing relations with the key trading partner and emerging superpower. The 2013 Defence White Paper also lays out an ambitious plan to build 12 new submarines that will come either from a new design or from an evolution of the troubled Collins Class model. The submarine program - expected to be the largest single capital works project by any Commonwealth government, priced in the tens of billions of dollars - would require a major skills boost to Australia's naval shipbuilding industry. Super Hornet: The white paper is budgeting for 12. Photo: Eddie Jim The paper, released by Prime Minister Julia Gillard, has expunged the provocative language of its 2009 predecessor about the threat China's rise could pose to the strategic balance in the Asia-Pacific region. Ms Gillard denied the government was trying to placate China, insisting there was "continuity" in the approach Australia took to its biggest two-way trading partner. The 2009 paper called on China to better explain to its neighbours why it was dramatically expanding its military power, warning that the pace and size of the expansion could give the region "cause for concern if not carefully explained." The 2013 paper states Australia's policy was aimed at "encouraging China's peaceful rise." While defence experts on Friday broadly praised the white paper as a realistic and sophisticated blueprint, some said it did not adequately acknowledge the growing regional volatility as Asian nations build their military strengths in what some commentators have called an arms race. Director of international security at the Lowy Institute, Rory Medcalf, said the strategic environment has got worse, not better, in Asia since 2009. Where I do see a mismatch in this paper is that by most objective measures, the Asian strategic environment has got more hazardous and more uncertain since 2009 and yet I don't think there is a greater degree of risk and uncertainty expressed in this white paper than in [Kevin] Rudd's [2009] paper. I think it could have been a bit more harder edged and clear about the risks to Australia if we don't ... contribute, if some of these flashpoints arise. The paper refers to flashpoints emerging over territorial disputes between China and its neighbours in the East China and South China seas. After weeks of speculation about further spending cuts, Defence Minister Stephen Smith revealed the government would instead modestly increase funding for defence above inflation. This would cover the $1.5 billion purchase of 12 new Super Hornet fighters equipped with advanced radar-jamming "Growler" technology to boost the nation's air combat capabilities. The white paper maintained Australia's commitment to buy the Joint Strike Fighter as Australia's primary air combat plane. About 75 planes would start to be bought from 2020. The government has made deep cuts to defence in the past two years. Chief of the Defence Force David Hurley, when asked whether he was relieved defence spending was not further cut, said Friday's paper was a "good outcome" that recognised the "reality of the government's fiscal position." Opposition defence spokesman David Johnston attacked the lack of information in the paper about costs and schedules. In a further bid to protect jobs, the government is shifting work on the new Air Warfare Destroyer vessels from Newcastle to Williamstown shipyard in Melbourne. It is also bringing forward the building of new patrol boats to replace the Armidale class of boats.