China lashed out at the United States for 'exaggerating' Beijing's military strength and interfering in the nation's internal affairs.
BEIJING: Describing itself as a "peace loving country," China on Monday lashed out at the United States for "exaggerating" Beijing's military strength and interfering in the nation's internal affairs.
China expresses "strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition" to a report by the US Defence Department on the nation's build-up of its military strength, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Jiang Yu said.
"The report exaggerates China's military strength and expenditure with ulterior motives," she said.
"It disseminates the 'China threat' theory, severely violates norms of international relations and wantonly interferes with China's internal affairs," she said.
As a peace-loving country, China sticks to a path of peaceful development and adopts a defensive national defence policy, Jiang said.
"The international community has a fair judgment that China is an important force in promoting peace in the Asia-Pacific and the world," she said.
"It is the responsibility of any sovereign nation to conduct necessary national defence build-up to safeguard national security and territorial integrity," she said.
"This report propagating the 'China threat theory' is completely erroneous and futile," she commented.
Asserting that "Taiwan is an inalienable part of Chinese territory," the spokeswoman said and China firmly opposes any country that interferes in its internal affairs.
The report by Pentagon said the People's Liberation Army (PLA) has acquired better missiles, submarines and aircraft. It also sought an explanation from the Asian giant to explain the purpose of such a buildup.
"We will show our utmost sincerity and do our best in seeking peaceful reunification of the motherland but we will never tolerate 'Taiwan independence' and allow any secessionist activities," the spokesperson asserted.
"We urge the United States to adhere to the one-China policy," Jiang said.
Washington switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979. However, the US continues to be the main ally and defence supplier of the cash-rich island which Beijing views as a rebel province that must be reunified with the mainland, even by force.
Meanwhile, Chinese experts, commenting on the Pentagon report said there is nothing new in it except that it attempts to overplay the so-called 'China threat'.
Director of the Institute of Strategic Studies under the National Defence University of China, Yang Yi said the reports' authors seem to have forgotten that the United States maintains a military presence in regions far beyond its territorial boundary.
"While intervening in China's internal affairs, the commanding tone of the report displays more bias than reason," Yang was quoted as saying by 'China Daily.'
He said China is an independent nation, and is not obliged to seek permission from any other country to develop its military capability to match the size of its territory, population and national economic strength.
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