'Chinese military power in line with defence needs'

Beijing - China's growing military power is in accordance with the country's economic and social development, and in line with its defence needs, a top official said Monday.

Responding to a criticism by Japan on the increase in China's defence spending, Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin said the Chinese defence budget has only seen single or double-digit growth for the past two decades, though the country has been undergoing rapid development for more than 30 years.

"During some countries' economic boom in the 1960s and 1970s, they also saw double-digit growth in their defence budgets for several decades," he was quoted as saying by Xinhua.

With a territory of 9.6 million square km, a border of 22,000 km and a coastline of 18,000 km, China is a big country and one that has not been completely unified, he said.

China faces military threats from various directions and "needs to ensure its national security and interests", he said.

"More importantly, China's defence policies and strategic intent are transparent, and it is never a choice for China to seek dominance when gaining strength," he said.

The defence policies are aimed at safeguarding not only China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, but also the peace and stability of both the region and the world, he said.

He said China does not intend to challenge anyone, and poses no threat to any country.