China accuses US of undermining global security in defence white paper
- Beijing sets marked new tone in first position paper since 2015 military reform
- Cooperation is out in favour of antagonism and complaint
China lambasted the United States on Wednesday for undermining global strategic stability in its first defence white paper since Chinese President Xi Jinping initiated a sweeping military reform in 2015.
The report, “China’s National Defense in the New Era”, said at the outset that international security systems and order were undermined by growing hegemonism, power politics, unilateralism and constant regional conflicts and wars.
The white paper named the US as primarily to blame for destabilising international security, stoking international strategic competition and speeding up an arms race by developing new types of combat forces. Nato, Russia and Japan were also criticised, but to a lesser degree.
It was a marked departure from China’s previous defence report, released in 2015, which called for more military exchanges and greater cooperation with other countries in an unprecedentedly changing environment.
“The US has adjusted its national security and defence strategies, and adopted unilateral policies. It has provoked and intensified competition among major countries, significantly increased its defence expenditure, pushed for additional capacity in nuclear, outer space, cyber and missile defence, and undermined global strategic stability,” the latest report said.
The white paper also said the US should be held accountable for bringing uncertainties to regional security in the Asia-Pacific.