Beijing slams Pentagon for ‘deliberately distorting’ China’s defence policies

BEIJING — China yesterday condemned the United States Defense Department’s annual report on the Chinese military, calling it deliberate distortion that has “severely damaged” mutual trust.

In its annual report to the US Congress on Chinese military activities, the Pentagon said on Friday that China is expected to add substantial military infrastructure, including communications and surveillance systems, to artificial islands in the South China Sea this year.

Beijing hit back yesterday in comments published in state media, with a Defence Ministry spokesman saying the Pentagon report had “hyped up” China’s military threat and lack of transparency and “deliberately distorted China’s defence policies”.

“The US annual report on China’s military and security developments has severely damaged mutual trust between the two sides,” said spokesman Yang Yujun, according to the official Xinhua news agency.

Mr Yang accused the US of being behind the “militarisation in the South China Sea”, parts of which are claimed by Vietnam, Taiwan, Brunei, Malaysia and the Philippines, as well as China.

Despite its calls for freedom of navigation and restraint for peace, the US has pushed forward militarisation of the South China Sea with an “intention to exert hegemony”, he added.

“It is the United States that has been flexing military muscles by frequently sending military aircraft and warships to the region,” Xinhua quoted Mr Yang as saying.

He expressed China’s “strong dissatisfaction” and “firm opposition” to the Pentagon report, which said Beijing’s planned addition of military infrastructure in the South China Sea would give China long-term “civil-military bases” in the contested waters.

It estimated that China’s reclamation work had added more than 1,295ha of land on seven features it occupied in the Spratly Islands in the space of two years.

The report said that China had completed its major reclamation efforts in October, switching focus to infrastructure development, including three 3km airstrips that can accommodate advanced fighter jets.

Mr Yang, the spokesman, defended the construction, saying it serves mostly civilian purposes and helps fulfil China’s international responsibilities and obligations by providing more public goods.

“China follows a national defence policy that is defensive in nature,” said Mr Yang, adding that the country’s military build-up and reforms are aimed at maintaining sovereignty, security and territorial integrity and guaranteeing China’s peaceful development.

The Pentagon report comes at a time of heightened tension over maritime territories claimed by China and disputed by several Asian nations. Washington has accused Beijing of militarising the South China Sea while Beijing, in turn, has criticised increased US naval patrols and exercises in Asia.

The US report renewed accusations against China’s government and military for cyberattacks against US government computer systems, a charge Beijing denies.

The Pentagon said attacks in 2015 appeared focused on intelligence collection. AGENCIES