China opposes US report judging its military and security development: Defense Ministry spokesperson

BEIJING - A spokesperson for the Chinese military said it resolutely opposes a report by the US Department of Defense on China's military and security developments, claiming the report misinterpreted China's strategic intention and hyped up the so-called "China military threat."

The US Department of Defense's 2018 report to Congress also distorted relations and situation across the Taiwan Strait, said Wu Qian, the spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense, Friday.

"We have lodged solemn representations to the US side over the report," said Wu.

China, as a facilitator of world peace, a contributor to global development and a maintainer of international order, has firmly taken the path of peaceful development and steadfastly pursued a national defense policy that is defensive in nature, he said.

In recent years, Chinese soldiers and officers have carried out more and more missions involving peacekeeping and disaster relief in foreign lands, and borne more international responsibilities and provided more public security goods. "The contribution and endeavor by China have won universal praise from the international community," said Wu.

China's efforts to strengthen modernization of its military aims at safeguarding its sovereignty, security, and development interests, as well as for safeguarding world peace, stability and prosperity.

China's military reform, weapons and equipment development and its defense capability building in cyberspace are justifiable and reasonable, said Wu, noting that US accusations in the report are pure conjecture.

"It is an iron-clad fact that Taiwan is a part of China," Wu stressed. "We urge the US side to adhere to the one-China policy and the principle of the three joint communiques, and to discreetly deal with Taiwan-related issues."

The Chinese military will as always stand firm in safeguarding China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, Wu said.

China's stance on maritime issues is consistent and clear-cut, and China is committed to resolving disputes peacefully through direct negotiations with related parties.

China's peaceful construction activities on the islands and reefs in the South China Sea, which are legitimate rights of a sovereign state, aim at safeguarding national territory and meeting demand of the people, so as to better fulfill its international responsibilities and obligations, the spokesperson said.

The US side, which has frequently sent warplanes and vessels to the South China Sea in the name of "freedom of navigation," and caused tensions, is a real threat to the regional peace and stability, said the spokesperson.

"The release of such reports by the US side year after year has harmed mutual trust and is not in line with the common interests between China and the United States," said Wu. "We ask the United States to abandon its Cold War mindset, adopt an objective and rational attitude towards China's defense and military developments, stop issuing such irresponsible reports, and make concrete efforts to maintain the stable development of relations between the two militaries."