Beijing slams false accusations

Officials of the United States and British intelligence agencies are hyping the "China threat" by making false accusations against the country, said Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian on Thursday, urging them to view China's development objectively and give up their zero-sum mentality.

FBI Director Christopher Wray and MI5's Director-General Ken McCallum accused the Chinese government of being a "threat" or "challenge" in London on Wednesday, according to The Associated Press.

Slamming Wray's comments as "fully exposing his deep-rooted Cold War and zero-sum mentality and ideological bias" and calling on the official to stop making irresponsible remarks, Zhao said the US itself is "the largest threat to world peace and development".

Since its founding more than 240 years ago, the US has spent only 16 years without being at war, Zhao noted at a daily news conference. "The US might as well be called 'the most belligerent country in world history'," he said.

In order to maintain its hegemony and self-interests, the US has repeatedly violated the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter and basic norms guiding international relations, the spokesman said.

"The US has waged war and created division and conflict all around the world by taking advantage of its hegemony in economy, science and military, cracked down on companies in other countries, including its allies, and caused huge turmoil and disaster in the world," Zhao said.

Responding to remarks made by the British side, Zhao said MI5 and MI6 are "experts in planting spies".

MI5 and MI6 refer to the UK's intelligence agencies.

China's development goal is to enable the Chinese people to have happy lives, instead of targeting anyone, let alone replacing anyone, said Zhao, urging the British side to avoid making imaginary enemies for no good reason.