Reporter: It is reported that the US Department of Defensehasrecently released the 2022 National Defense Strategy (NDS), which contains a lot of content related to China. What is your comment on that?
Senior Colonel Tan Kefei, spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense: The China-related content in the US 2022 NDS continues the threat-driven argument of the US National Security Strategy, plays up the so-called Chinese "challenge" and major-power competition in disregard of facts, and smears China's normal military development on the excuse of planning the US defense strategy, which is the same old tune of the Cold War mentality and zero-sum game concept. We are firmly opposed to it and have lodged solemn representations with the US side.
China steadfastly follows the path of peaceful development and upholds the UN-centered international system. China has been taking concrete actions to protect peace, promote development, participate in cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region, committed to building an Asia-Pacific community with a shared future. A strong Chinese military is not only a strategic pillar for safeguarding China’s national sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity, but also a staunch force for maintaining world and regional peace and stability. This has been witnessed by the international community. Those countries that stubbornly put their own interests first and form coalitions for "integrated deterrence " in the Asia-Pacific region are the "looming challenges" to the international system and the Asia-Pacific region.
Taiwan is China's Taiwan, and the Taiwan question is China's internal affair that brooks no outside interference. At present, the US side continues to hollow out the one-China principle and further intensifies its move of using Taiwan to contain China. These ill deeds seriously violate China's national sovereignty and territorial integrity and severely endanger peace and stability in the Taiwan Straits. The Chinese People's Liberation Army continues to strengthen military training and combat readiness, and will take resolute counter measures against any form of "Taiwan independence" separatist activities and external interference.
China firmly pursues a nuclear strategy of self-defense, adheres to the nuclear policy of no first use of nuclear weapons at any time and under any circumstances, and keeps the nuclear capabilities at the minimum level required for national security. China takes an active part in the international arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation process. China has signed or acceded to more than 20 multilateral arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation treaties, including the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. On the contrast, the US withdrew from agreements in the field of arms control and non-proliferation, accelerated the upgrading of nuclear weapons and their delivery vehicles, lowered the threshold for the use of nuclear weapons, and carried out nuclear submarine cooperation with the UK and Australia, thus increasing the risk of nuclear proliferation in the region.
We urge the US side to abandon the Cold War zero-sum mentality, banish preconceptions and stereotypes about China, correct its wrong perception of China, view the development of China and its armed forces rationally, adopt an objective and pragmatic attitude, and do more things conducive to maintaining world and regional peace and stability.
