US stuck in zero-sum game, China moves forward with peace

Chinese Defense Ministry said on Friday that the United States hasn't clearly seen the global trend of peaceful development, but has been stuck in zero-sum game mentality.

Senior Colonel Tan Kefei, Defense Ministry spokesman, made the remarks in response to the recent remarks of Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley.

The senior US official claimed that China aims to become the dominant power in Asia within the next 10 years and surpass US' military capabilities by the mid-century, and thus the US military must maintain decisive advantage and combat readiness.

Tan said the US side occasionally makes such erroneous remarks by "measuring others with its own yardstick", mainly because it has always failed to grasp the trend of peaceful development in the world and is stuck in a zero-sum game mentality.

He criticized that "the US' so-called 'maintaining a decisive advantage' simply reflects its desire to be the sole dominant power and continue to pursue hegemony for its own interests".

China will never tread the old path where a rising power was bound to seek hegemony, said Tan.

"If you ask about our goal, it is to become a better and stronger China," the spokesman noted, adding that the goal also includes constantly improving capabilities to defend national sovereignty, security and development interests, and to contribute to maintaining global and regional peace and stability.