The U.S. Department of Defense recently issued a report on China-related military and security developments for 2016. The report once again fans the theory of the "China Threat," complete with accusations of insufficient transparency in military power. It also twists China's defense policies in the South China Sea.

China has voiced strong opposition to such a prejudiced report. Regardless of the report’s content, China's national defense will not be affected by any of the accusations.

“In reading history, it is those countries with militaries who are prepared and ready that fare much better than countries that have no militaries and aren't,” said a U.S. senior military official in a recent interview with the New York Times, claiming that his forces must be ready “to fight tonight.”

As the strongest military power in the world, the U.S. has always been extremely cautious. For the same reason, China's national defense, the purpose of which is to safeguard China’s independence, sovereignty and territories, is totally reasonable. The so-called China Threat is a lie.

Contributing to peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific and beyond, China has always followed the path of peaceful development and pragmatic national defense. The report issued by the Pentagon does nothing more than reflect the U.S. government’s two-facedness when dealing with China.

In recent years, the U.S. has made solemn commitments to manage differences and sensitive issues in a constructive manner. U.S. President Barack Obama once said that the U.S. welcomes China's peaceful rise, and a strong and prosperous China can help bring stability and prosperity to the region and the world.

However, Washington has since then done a great deal of interfering with China's internal affairs under the banner of "human rights," provoking conflicts in the South China Sea and defaming China's national defense. What the U.S. has done, no matter if it was out of anxiety or due to a miscalculation in its domestic politics, has damaged the mutual trust between China and the U.S.

“China and the U.S. need to expand cooperation and healthy competition…[avoiding] high risk and cost,” said a senior official in Washington early this year. This statement represents the overall belief of most U.S. politicians, but such a vision requires strong willpower. It seems that the conceit of the U.S. comes from its confidence in its own power, but behind that veneer is obvious insecurity.

This article was edited and translated from “两面性”有损中美战略互信（钟声）Source: People's Daily