China does not fear challenges or threats, defense spokesman says

China has no wish to challenge or threaten anyone, but it also does not fear challenges or threats from others, Senior Colonel Ren Guoqiang, spokesman of the Ministry of National Defense, said in a news briefing on Thursday.

In early March, the United States released the Interim National Security Strategic Guidance, calling China the "only competitor potentially capable … to mount a sustained challenge to a stable and open international system".

Ren criticized the report and recent rhetoric by US defense officials as full of "Cold War" mentality.

"The US is playing a trick to manufacture an enemy by hyping up its threat, so it can make excuses to continue its hegemony," he said.

"China resolutely opposes the US following the 'law of the jungle' and its dangerous misinterpretation of China's intent," he said, adding it wasn't factual, nor in the interests of both nations and the rest of the world.

"China has no wish to challenge anyone, but it also does not fear challenge from anyone," he said. "China has the right to develop, the freedom to choose its path, the ability to defend itself and the need to protect its legitimate rights."

No individual or power can stop the progress of Chinese people pursuing better lives, he said.

"The Chinese military will always have the determination and capability to safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests."

Ren said China hopes the US can read the trends, rationally look at China and the development of its military, and properly handle military-to-military relations and bilateral ties. "We hope the US can work with China to enhance dialogue, expand mutually beneficial cooperation, properly manage risks and differences, and facilitate healthy and stable China-US military relations going forward," he said.