China on Wednesday voiced its firm opposition to a recent Pentagon report on China's military development, saying it "ignored objective facts".

The Pentagon report is "not beneficial to the improvement and development of Sino-U.S. military ties," said Geng Yansheng, a newly appointed spokesman of China's Defense Ministry.

According to Geng, the U.S. report ignored the facts while "criticizing China's normal national defense and military build-up, exaggerating the so-called Chinese mainland's 'military threats' to Taiwan, and condemning China for suspending Sino-U.S. military exchanges thus compromising the two countries' military cooperation."

China resolutely opposed such a report, Geng said.

He said China has and will always adhered to the path of peaceful development and has pursued a defensive national defense policy.

The country will neither enter an arms race nor use its military to threaten any other country, he said.

"China's military development is reasonable and appropriate, and is aimed to protect its national sovereignty, security and territorial integrity, as well as keep apace with the rapid military development in the world," the spokesman said.

He added that Chinese military forces had actively carried out exchanges and cooperation with their foreign counterparts, in order to protect world peace and regional stability.

Geng said China has always attached great importance to Sino-U.S. military ties and has made great efforts to improve the ties.

"We ask the U.S. side to view China's national defense and military build-up from an objective and just perspective, put an end to comments and conduct that might compromise mutual trust between Chinese and U.S. military forces, and stop issuing the so-called Chinese military and security development report, so to create a favorable environment for the improvement and development of Sino-U.S. military relations," Geng said.

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