China said the United States is the “biggest disruptor of regional peace and stability” in the world in a scathing response Wednesday to a Pentagon report on China’s growing military buildup. The annual report that is required by Congress is one way the Pentagon measures the military capabilities of China, which the US government sees as its key threat in the Asia-Pacific region and America’s primary long-term security challenge. The statement China’s Ministry of Defence issued in response called the Pentagon report’s findings false and used it in turn to hit back at the US’ recent actions in helping Israel and Ukraine, as well as its buildup of military installations worldwide.
“The US has sent depleted uranium munitions and cluster bombs to Ukraine, sent its carrier battle groups to the Mediterranean and weapons and munitions to Israel, is this the so-called gospel’ the ‘human rights defender is bringing to the area?” said Wu Qian, the spokesperson for China’s defence ministry.
The Pentagon report builds on a warning last year that China was expanding its nuclear force rapidly, in line with a general buildup of its military. The earlier warning said Beijing was on track to nearly quadruple the number of warheads it has to 1,500 by 2035.
