Chinese Ministry of National Defense spokesperson Zhang Xiaogang has criticized the United States’ proposed increase in defense spending, urging Washington to reconsider its approach to national security. “The worst enemy of the U.S. is the U.S. itself,” Zhang stated during a press conference on Thursday.
The remarks came in response to the U.S. National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2025, which outlines a defense budget of up to $895.2 billion and identifies China as a major challenge to U.S. national security.
“The U.S. military expenditure has long topped the world and continues to rise rapidly year by year,” Zhang noted. “This fully exposes the belligerent nature of the U.S. and its obsession with hegemony and expansion.”
Zhang criticized the U.S. for its involvement in conflicts around the world, stating that many current wars and conflicts are a result of U.S. policy failures. “The wars and military operations launched by the U.S. since 2001 have caused hundreds of thousands of deaths and millions of injuries, displacing tens of millions of people,” he said. “The U.S.’s abuse of force not only brings harm to the world but also accelerates its own decline.”
The spokesperson accused the U.S. of using the so-called “China military threat” as an excuse to increase military spending and maintain global dominance. “This grossly interferes with China’s internal affairs and undermines world peace and stability. We are strongly dissatisfied with and firmly opposed to it,” Zhang declared.
Zhang emphasized that the world is big enough for both China and the U.S. to develop individually and collectively. “China remains committed to the path of peaceful development and a defense policy that is defensive in nature. We do not engage in any arms race with any other country and always serve as a defender of world peace,” he affirmed.
He called on the U.S. to abandon its Cold War mentality and zero-sum mindset. “The U.S. should get rid of its obsessive delusion of containing and outcompeting China, so as not to undermine bilateral and military-to-military relations,” Zhang urged.
Concluding his remarks, Zhang vowed that the Chinese military would take resolute countermeasures against any infringements and provocations to safeguard national sovereignty, security, and development interests. “With stronger capacities and more reliable methods, we will defend our nation,” he asserted.
Reference(s):
Worst enemy of the U.S. is itself, says Chinese spokesperson
cgtn.com
