China on Tuesday expressed its resolute opposition to a report by the U.S. Defense Department on China's military strength.

The report disseminates the China military threat theory, severely distorts the truth, interferes with China's internal affairs and violates norms of international relations, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang told a regular press conference when asked to comment on this annual report.

China had lodged solemn representations to the U.S. side, Qin noted.

China unswervingly sticks to a path of peaceful development and adopts a defensive national defense policy, Qin said, noting that China is a firm force in safeguarding peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific and the world, and does not pose threat to any country.

China urged the United States to abandon the Cold War mentality and take a right attitude towards China and China's development, Qin said.

The United States should correct its wrongdoing to issue the report on China's military, and make concrete actions to increase mutual trust and push for constructive cooperation between the two nations, Qin said.

"We urge the United States to adhere to the one-China policy and the three Sino-U.S. joint communiques, oppose 'Taiwan independence', cease weapon sales and military relations with Taiwan and stop sending any wrong signals to Taiwan secessionists, " Qin said.

The United States should work with China to safeguard peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits and the general situation of the China-U.S. ties, Qin said.

The Pentagon report, released on Monday, said that numerous intrusions into computer networks around the world, including some owned by the U.S. government, in the past year seem to have originated in China.

Qin said this accusation was groundless, and China expressed strong dissatisfaction over it.

On the network attack issue, China holds a clear stance that it sticks to a path of peaceful development and will not make actions to harm other nations' sovereignty and security, Qin said.

Qin said China was also a victim of hackers. China hoped to increase cooperation with relevant countries to jointly tackle this problem.

Responding to a question on whether the Chinese government and military hired civilian hackers to attack other nations' governmental computer networks, Qin said, "Chinese government never does such kind of things."

(Xinhua News Agency, March 5, 2008)