China urges US to drop negative China-related content in annual defense policy bill

China's top legislature has expressed strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025, which was newly signed into law by the United States, a spokesman said on Wednesday.

In a statement, Xu Dong, a spokesman for the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National People's Congress, pointed out that the negative provisions related to China in the act continue to hype up the "China threat", advocate for military support to Taiwan, suppress China's technological and economic development, and restrict Sino-US economic and trade exchanges and cultural interactions.

The act rudely interferes in China's internal affairs, and harms China's sovereignty, security, and development interests, he said.

China has always handled Sino-US relations based on the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation, and has always believed that the success of both countries is an opportunity for each other, Xu said, noting that the two countries should be facilitators of each other's development rather than obstacles.

"The stable, healthy, and sustainable development of Sino-US relations is crucial not only to the people of both countries but also to the future and destiny of humanity," he said.

The spokesman also stressed that while it is inevitable for major countries such as China and the US to have some disagreements and conflicts, these should not harm each other's core interests or lead to conflict and confrontation.

He emphasized four red lines of China that brook no challenge: the Taiwan question, democracy and human rights, China's path and system, and China's development right.

"We strongly urge the US to abandon its Cold War mentality and ideological biases, refrain from implementing the negative provisions related to China in the act, and avoid making repeated mistakes on affairs concerning China's sovereignty and core interests," Xu said.

The spokesman said China will take necessary measures in accordance with the law to resolutely safeguard its national sovereignty, security, and development interests.