BEIJING, Mar. 1 -- China's socialist nature, its strategic choice to take the road of peaceful development and independent foreign policy of peace, as well as the traditional Chinese culture advocating "harmony", determine that China unswervingly pursues a defense policy that is defensive in nature, according to a written statement of Information Office of China’s Ministry of National Defense (MND) on Monday.

In recent years, there have been comments that China has been strengthening military buildup, showing its military strength abroad and becoming more aggressive in handling disputes with neighboring countries, which means that China is changing its defensive national defense policy.

In response, the Chinese MND said in the written statement that China unswervingly pursues a defensive national defense policy. It is a distinctive feature of China's national defense in the new era that China will never seek hegemony, expansion or spheres of influence.

According to the statement, the Chinese military is firmly committed to fulfilling its duties and missions, safeguarding the country’s sovereignty and security, upholding fairness and justice, and adhering to the basic principles. Since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, the Chinese military has never initiated any war or occupied any inch of another country's land.

It stressed that China must not lose an inch of the territory that the country's ancestors have left behind. As for what is other people's, China does not want at all. The building and development of China's national defense and armed forces is entirely driven by the need to safeguard China's national sovereignty, security and development interests, not targeting any country or not posing threat to any country.

In recent years, the Chinese military has conducted exchanges and cooperation with their counterparts in other countries, provided abundant international public security products, responded to common security threats and challenges, and made important contributions to maintaining world peace and stability and serving the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

History has proved and will continue to prove that the Chinese military has always been a staunch force in safeguarding world peace, the statement stressed.