The peace and stability of the Asia-Pacific region are the irresistible trends of the times, while the development and prosperity of the region are the common aspirations of the people, said Geng Yansheng, spokesman for the Ministry of National Defense.

China hopes the United States can follow the trends of the times by treating China and the Chinese military objectively and rationally, speaking and acting cautiously and doing more that is conducive to the development of Sino-U.S. relations and the relations between the two militaries, as well as regional peace and stability, Geng said on January 9 when answering a reporter's question about a strategic defense guideline of the U.S. Department of Defense.

The strategic defense guideline, issued on January 5, said in the long run, China's emergence as a regional power will have the potential to affect the U.S. economy and its security in various ways. China continues to develop its asymmetric means to contend against the projection capabilities of U.S. forces, it said. China must clarify its strategic intentions while increasing its military strength. The U.S. armed forces will continue to strengthen diplomatic, economic and military activities in the Asia-Pacific region and maintain the stability of the region by strengthening relations with its Asian allies and partners, it said.

Geng said China has paid attention to the strategic defense guideline unveiled by the U.S. Department of Defense and will watch out for the influence of the shift of U.S. military strategies on the security situation of the Asia-Pacific region and the world at large.

Geng said U.S. criticism against China in this document is groundless. It is universally known that the strategic intentions of the national defense and army building of China are consistent and explicit, and China's peaceful development means opportunities rather than challenges to the international community including the United States.