China reacts angrily to US military report

Beijing, March 26 (Xinhua) China Thursday criticised a report by the US Defense Department on China's military strength.

'We have lodged solemn representations to the US side,' Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said. He added that the report continued disseminating the 'Chinese military threat' theory, severely distorted the facts and interfered in China's internal affairs.

The Pentagon Wednesday released its annual report to Congress on the Chinese military.

'China unswervingly sticks to a path of peaceful development and pursues a national defence policy which is purely defensive in nature,' Qin said. 'We urged the US side to respect this basic fact.'

He added that the United States should abandon 'Cold War mentality', stop issuing such reports on China's military, and stop its 'groundless censure' against China.