BEIJING, Dec. 26 -- "The US NDAA played up the alleged 'China military threat' as an excuse to increase the US military spending and maintain its hegemony. This grossly interferes with China's internal affairs and undermines world peace and stability. We deplore and firmly oppose to it," said Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang, spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense, at a press conference on Thursday.
It is reported that US President Joe Biden signed the Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (FY25 NDAA) into law, which announced a defense budget of up to 895.2 billion US dollars for the next fiscal year and identified China as one of the major challenges to the US national security. Some analysts suggest that the introduction of this Act reflects the deep anxiety of the US about its own strengths.
Senior Colonel Zhang made the above remarks when asked to comment on the US's FY25 NDAA and if China would increase its defense spending accordingly.
The spokesperson pointed out that China has no intention to challenge any country. In fact, the worst enemy of the US is the US itself. The US military expenditure has already topped the world for long, which is still increasing rapidly year by year. This fully exposes the belligerent nature of the US and its obsession with hegemony and expansion. It's clear to all that many current wars and conflicts are a result of US policy failures. The wars and military operations launched by the US since 2001 have caused more than hundreds of thousands of deaths and millions of injuries, and displaced tens of millions of people. The US's abuse of force not only brings harm to the world, but also accelerates its own decline.
The spokesperson further noted that the earth is big enough for both China and the US to develop individually and collectively. China remains committed to the path of peaceful development and a defense policy that is defensive in nature. China does not engage in any arms race with any other country, and always serves as a defender for world peace.
"We urge the US side to abandon Cold-War mentality and zero-sum mindset, and discard its obsessive delusion of containing and outcompeting China, so as not to undermine the bilateral and mil-to-mil relations between China and the US. With stronger capabilities and more reliable means, the Chinese military will take resolute countermeasures against all infringements and provocations to safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests," said the spokesperson.