Chinese Defense Ministry Criticizes Pentagon's Yearly Report

25 Oct, 2023

Chinese Defense Ministry Criticizes Pentagon's Yearly Report

In a recent development, China's defense ministry strongly criticized the annual report released by the U.S. Defense Department on China. The Chinese ministry denounced the report, asserting that it misrepresents the country's security policy and military strategy.

The Pentagon's report to the U.S. Congress outlined China's ambitions for the coming decade, emphasizing its plans to rapidly modernize, diversify, and expand its nuclear forces. According to the report, China currently possesses more than 500 nuclear warheads, and it is projected to have over 1,000 warheads by 2030. Notably, the report claimed that China would employ new fast-breeder reactors and reprocessing facilities to generate plutonium for its nuclear weapons, despite publicly asserting that these technologies are intended for peaceful purposes.

Chinese Defense Ministry spokesperson Wu Qian expressed the country's strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition to the U.S. report. Wu emphasized that the report exaggerates and sensationalizes the non-existent 'Chinese military threat.' He clarified that China's armed forces' development primarily focuses on containing the threat of war, safeguarding its own security, promoting global peace, and is not targeted at any specific nation or entity.

Tensions between China and the United States have escalated in recent times, with disputes spanning global and national security concerns, military interactions in the South China Sea, and the issue of Taiwan, which China asserts as its rightful territory. The Pentagon's report from 2022 highlighted China's increased diplomatic, political, and military pressure on Taiwan.

Regarding the military-to-military relationship between the two nations, Wu stressed its importance and the maintenance of frank and effective communication through military diplomacy. However, he pointed out that difficulties and obstacles in the relationship have been largely caused by the United States. Wu accused the United States of feigning confusion while taking actions that harm China's security interests while simultaneously expressing a desire to manage crises and enhance communication.

This latest exchange of criticisms comes just ahead of China's hosting of foreign defense officials at the 10th Xiangshan Forum, scheduled to take place in Beijing from October 29 to 31. The United States accepted China's invitation to the forum after China had declined a meeting between the defense chiefs of the two nations a few months earlier.