MND Spokesperson Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang answers recent media queries concerning the military on the afternoon of December 14, 2023.

(The following English text of the press conference is for reference. In case of any divergence of interpretation, the Chinese text shall prevail.)

I have a piece of news to announce at the top.

The Army Command College of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) will host a seminar on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) for Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) countries in Nanjing from December 14 to 20. Representatives from over 20 countries including Uruguay, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Bolivia have been invited.

The delegates will exchange views on relevant theories, practices, laws and regulations of international HADR operations, and experience in building emergency relief systems. The seminar will help deepen exchanges and cooperation on disaster management between China and the LAC countries and enhance capabilities of the LAC countries in HADR.

Question: According to reports, some senior US defense officials said recently at the Reagan National Defense Forum that China is the biggest competitor of the US. The Chinese military is growing at the fastest rate since World War II, and its military actions and intentions in the region are concerning. What's your comment, please?

Answer: Relevant remarks of the US side ignore facts and distort right and wrong, which we firmly oppose. China follows the path of peaceful development, and upholds a national defense policy that is defensive in nature. We develop our military to defend China's national sovereignty, security and development interests and maintain world and regional peace and stability.

We urge the US side not to judge others based on its own behaviors. It should not assume China's future with its own history of seeking hegemony, or perceive China with a zero-sum mentality. Instead, the US needs to adopt an objective and rational approach and work with China towards the same goal. It should have a right perception of China, manage differences effectively, and honor its commitments with real actions to create conditions for the mil-to-mil relations to return to the right track.

Question: It's reported that the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) at its 78th session adopted with majority votes the draft resolution "No First Placement of Weapons in Outer Space" co-sponsored by countries including China and Russia, reaffirming the goal of preventing an arms race in outer space. Do you have any comment on this?

Answer: China supports the peaceful use of outer space and actively promotes international cooperation in outer space. We firmly oppose the weaponization of and arms race in outer space.

The draft resolution co-sponsored by countries including China and Russia was adopted by the UNGA with strong support, which fully demonstrates the international community's support for negotiations on international legal instruments on arms control in outer space, opposition against the deployment of weapons in outer space, and aspiration for building a community with a shared future for mankind in outer space.

It is noteworthy that certain big power is moving against the prevailing trend and continues to weaponize the space and make it a battle field, which could easily trigger a space arms race, posing a serious threat to space security and undermining global strategic stability.

We urge the relevant country to correct its wrong doings, support and constructively participate in negotiations on legal instruments on space arms control, and take solid measures to uphold the international order underpinned by international law.

Question: According to reports, after China criticized the US littoral combat ship USS Gabrielle Giffords for illegally intruding into waters adjacent to Ren'ai Jiao, the US side said that it would continue to operate in international waters, including the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait, in accordance with international law. On December 6th, a US Navy anti-submarine patrol aircraft flew over the Taiwan Strait. What is your comment?

Answer: China has indisputable sovereignty over Nansha Qundao, including Ren’ai Jiao, and the adjacent waters. The US warship illegally intruded into the waters adjacent to Ren'ai Jiao without the authorization from the Chinese government. The operation severely undermines China's sovereignty and security, violates international law and basic norms governing international relations, and harms regional peace and stability. China respects the rights of navigation and overflight entitled to all countries in the South China Sea in accordance with international law. However, we firmly oppose any action that undermines China's sovereignty and security in the name of freedom of navigation and overflight.

Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory. The US side should never attempt to challenge China's firm determination to defend its national sovereignty and territorial integrity at any time. According to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and China's domestic laws, the waters of the Taiwan Strait include internal waters, territorial sea, contiguous zone, and exclusive economic zone. There is no so-called "international waters" in the Taiwan Strait. In fact, there is no such a saying as "international waters" in international maritime laws. By claiming that the Taiwan Strait is "international waters," the US is creating an excuse to manipulate the Taiwan question and threaten China's sovereignty and security. China is firmly opposed to this.

We once again urge the US side to exercise caution in its words and deeds on the Taiwan question and the South China Sea issue, stop provocations, and take concrete actions to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, and create a favorable atmosphere for the sound and steady development of bilateral military relations.

Question: The media said that Japan's National Institute for Defense Studies released recently the China Security Report 2024. Do you have any comment?

Answer: Such reports released by the Japanese side are often based on preconceived biases and malicious intentions, and smear China's national defense and military development. China firmly opposes such irresponsible and unprofessional reports.

In recent years, Japan has repeatedly broken the bindings of its pacifist Constitution, and sought to develop offensive weapons. This kind of act to reverse the wheel of history poses a threat to peace and stability in the region and has caused alarm and strong concerns among Japan's neighboring countries and the international community.

China firmly adheres to a national defense policy that is defensive in nature, and the Chinese military is a staunch force for world peace. Taiwan is China's Taiwan, and resolving the Taiwan question is a matter for the Chinese people. Japan has no right to make irresponsible remarks on it. We urge the Japanese side to immediately stop meddling in China's internal affairs, stop spreading false narratives, and stop hyping up the so-called "China military threat" as an excuse for its military build-up and armament. Otherwise Japan will further lose trust from its Asian neighbors and the international community.

Question: At a recent ministerial meeting in the US, defense chiefs of the US, the UK and Australia said that the core of the AUKUS trilateral security partnership is to "bolster security and stability", which is crucial to curbing China's maritime expansion. They also announced plans to test new artificial intelligence algorithms and jointly operate uncrewed maritime systems in 2024, among others. Do you have any comment, please?

Answer: The US, in collaboration with its allies, continues to employ various tactics to baselessly play up the so-called "China military threat". It is widely known that the US, the UK, and Australia, under the guise of maintaining security in the Asia-Pacific, are forming a military coalition and a small group alliance. The AUKUS increased the risk of nuclear proliferation, military confrontation and arms race. Their actions have opened a Pandora's Box, and will cause endless harm. It also exposed their malicious calculations to seek geopolitical gains. The security of a small group cannot be built on top of undermining the security of other countries, nor should they pursue absolute security at the expense of the sovereignty and security of other nations. We hope that the US, the UK, and Australia can abandon Cold War thinking and zero-sum mentality, and do more things conducive to global peace and stability, rather than the opposite.