China on Tuesday brushed aside foreign concern over its military build-up,
insisting that it was a force for peace and stability in the world.
"China pursues an independent foreign policy of peace. It safeguards its own
lawful rights and interests, and also respects the lawful rights and interests
of other countries," Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing told reporters.
"We will always be a force for peace, cooperation and development."
On Sunday, China announced that military spending would rise 17.8 percent in
2007 to 350.9 billion yuan (about 45 billion dollars).
The United voiced alarm at the hike in spending. "This kind of spending not
only concerns us but raises concerns among China's neighbors. This is
inconsistent with China's policy of peaceful development," US national security
spokesman Gordon Johndroe said.
Li said Tuesday that China had nothing to hide.
"We pursue a national defence policy (of) ... increased military
transparency," he said at a press conference in the capital's Great Hall of the
People, where China's parliament is holding its annual session.
In an address to parliament on Monday, Premier Wen Jiabao vowed that China
would continue to strengthen its armed forces.
"Building a solid national defence system and a powerful people's army is a
strategic task in socialist modernisation," Wen said.
Chinese military officials and outside analysts have said Beijing is beefing
up its armed forces in part to be able to take back the island of Taiwan by
force if necessary.
