BEIJING - The purpose of communication and exchanges between the Chinese and US militaries is not a political show to the world, said a spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense on Thursday.
The current difficulties in China-US military engagement are created solely by the US side, said Zhang Xiaogang, the spokesperson, when commenting on a US report on China's military and security development at a press conference.
China always develops bilateral and military relations with the United States under the principle of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation, he said, adding that the two sides have maintained effective communication through military diplomatic channels.
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He urged the US side to earnestly respect China's core interests and major concerns, and refrain from crossing the lines on issues related to Taiwan, democracy and human rights, China's path and system, and China's development rights, so as to create a favorable atmosphere for dialogue and communication between the two sides.
In response to a media query about the US Space Force's new component in Japan, Zhang said that China has consistently adhered to the peaceful use of outer space and opposes its weaponization and militarization.
China urged the United States to carefully examine its actions in the space domain, cease provoking confrontation, stop spreading false narratives, and make due contributions to maintaining lasting peace and security in outer space, he said.
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When commenting on remarks made recently by US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in Japan, Zhang reiterated that the Diaoyu Dao and its affiliated islets are an inherent part of China's territory and China has indisputable sovereignty over the islands in the South China Sea and their adjacent waters.
He called on the United States, Japan and certain other countries to stop spreading false narratives about China and to contribute to regional peace and stability.
US bill slammed
Meanwhile, Zhang reaffirmed China's commitment to peaceful development and a defense policy that is defensive in nature while denouncing the US National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for the Fiscal Year 2025 on Thursday.
The US NDAA inflated the so-called "China military threat" to justify increased military spending and maintain its global dominance, he said.
He accused the bill of grossly interfering in China's internal affairs and undermining global peace and stability.
The US Senate voted on Dec 18 to pass the 895 billion-dollar NDAA, which approved military spending. This is a 1 percent increase from last year's top-line price tag of 886 billion dollars.
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"China does not engage in arms races with any country and remains a staunch defender of world peace," Zhang said in response to a media query about the NDAA, which identifies China as one of the primary challenges to US national security.
Zhang noted that the US military expenditures, already the largest in the world, continue to grow rapidly year after year. This fully exposes the belligerent nature of the United States and its relentless pursuit of hegemony and expansion.
Zhang further highlighted the devastating impact of US-led wars and military operations since 2001, which have caused hundreds of thousands of deaths and millions of injuries and displaced tens of millions of people worldwide.
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"We urge the United States to abandon its Cold War mentality and zero-sum mindset and to break free from its delusion of containing and outcompeting China," he stated.
The spokesperson reiterated that the Chinese military would take firm countermeasures against any infringements or provocations to safeguard the nation's sovereignty, security, and development interests.
US-Taiwan arms condemned
Zhang condemned US arms sales to Taiwan and vowed to smash any "Taiwan independence" separatist plots and foreign interference.
"We urge the US side to abide by the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiqués, earnestly honor its commitment not to support 'Taiwan independence,' immediately stop arming Taiwan, and cease its dangerous moves that undermine peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait," Zhang said.
Seeking independence by soliciting US support is doomed to failure, and resorting to force to resist reunification leads nowhere, he added.
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"Several pieces of US weaponry won't be the 'magic straw' that can save a drowning man; they are nothing but easy targets on the battlefield," Zhang said.
"The People's Liberation Army will comprehensively improve its combat readiness, enhance its capability to fight and win, and firmly smash any 'Taiwan independence' separatist plots and foreign interference," he added.
