Pentagon report biased

The annual report released by the Pentagon on China's military and security development is far from factual, as described by the Pentagon, as it contains incorrect 'facts,' inaccurate descriptions and ill-intended accusations concerning China's intentions for modernizing its military and the size of its defense spending, as well as its peaceful defense policy on regional issues, says a Xinhua News Agency commentary.

It adopts a biased stance on China's legitimate military modernization drive, which is to satisfy its need to protect its borders and to carry out more peacekeeping missions as required by the international community.

It ignores the fact that the United States' spending on defense was about five times that of China in 2013, and that by moderately raising its defense budget and enhancing its military capabilities, China is now capable of making more contributions to world peace. China is now the largest contributor of personnel to UN peacekeeping missions among the five permanent members of the UN Security Council. It also regularly sends naval task forces to conduct escort missions in the Gulf of Aden and off the coast of Somalia.

The Pentagon also expressed doubts about the transparency of China's defense spending in the report.

However, it also ignores the fact that China has publicized its annual defense budget since 1978, and it is included in the government's budget report to the National People's Congress every year. Furthermore, since 1995, China has been releasing the complete data on its defense spending in the annual White Paper on China's National Defense.

The report also interfered with China's internal affairs by making willful comments on the situation across the Taiwan Straits.

China, as the world's second-largest economy, is a responsible stakeholder in regional and world affairs. It is, as witnessed by neighboring countries, striving for a peaceful and prosperous Asia and seeks to share with others the benefits of its fast growth.

The country's peaceful rise is pivotal to regional prospects. It will be helpful for regional players to stop provoking and escalating tensions simply because China is a big neighbor.

It is high time the US took an objective view of China's military spending, recognized China's peaceful defense policy, and made joint efforts to safeguard world peace.