“The US exaggerates the threat from China's nuclear power”

Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Ren Guoqiang. Photo: AP

Ren Guoqiang said the US report made overly confident predictions about the intentions behind China's development and exaggerated the threat from Beijing's nuclear power.

Mr. Ren reaffirmed that China will resolutely adhere to peaceful development and pursue a defensive national defense policy.

A representative of the Chinese Ministry of National Defense stressed that the country adheres to a policy of no first use of nuclear weapons at any time and under any circumstances.

According to Mr. Nham, China will never use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against countries that do not possess nuclear weapons or nuclear-weapon-free zones.

The official affirmed that China has always exercised maximum restraint in developing nuclear weapons and limited its nuclear capabilities to the minimum level to ensure national security.

“We hope that the US side will abandon the ‘Cold War mentality’, jointly shoulder the special and primary responsibility for nuclear disarmament, correctly understand China’s strategic intentions, and have a fair view of China’s military and national defense development,” Mr. Ren said.

Mr. Ren urged Washington to agree with Beijing that it is necessary to make bilateral military relations a stabilizing factor in the relationship between the two countries, and jointly maintain global peace, stability and prosperity.

The 74-page US report considers China "a major challenge to US interests in Asia", and affirms that the US strategy towards China is to "prevent Beijing from mistakenly concluding that it can maintain its interests through the limited use of nuclear capabilities and that the use of any nuclear weapons, however limited, is acceptable"./.