China is calling on the U.S. government to stop issuing an annual report on
the Chinese military, saying its latest edition is a "groundless" and "gross
interference in China's internal affairs."
Foreign Ministry spokesman
Qin Gang told journalists in Beijing Thursday that the report continues to play
up what he says is the fallacy of China's military threat. He warned that if the
United States does not stop issuing the report, it would have an impact on
U.S.-China relations.
The U.S. Department of Defense report on Wednesday
said the Chinese military is developing what it calls "disruptive" capabilities,
including technologies for space, nuclear, and cyber warfare.
The report
said such pursuits are shifting the balance of military power within Asia and
possibly outside the region. It also said China's lack of transparency increases
the potential for misunderstanding and miscalculation.
The release of the
report comes weeks after the U.S. accused Chinese sailors of harassing a U.S.
Navy ship in the South China Sea.
After that dispute, the U.S. Director
of National Intelligence, Dennis Blair, told a U.S. Senate panel that China
seems to be taking a "more military, aggressive" stance. He added that the U.S.
intelligence community sees this as a "trend."
Some information for this report was provided by AFP and AP.