Beef up mutual trust: FM spokesman

By Li Xiaokun (China Daily)
Updated: 2008-11-26 07:48

China Tuesday called on Washington to correctly read China's defense policy and join hands with Beijing to maintain regional peace.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang made the comments during a regular news briefing in reply to a question raised by CNN.

According to the reporter, US Vice-Admiral John Donnelly said earlier this month that the US must be ready for the rising capabilities of the Chinese navy and respond to any contingencies that may arise.

Qin Gang

The Pentagon is moving 60 percent of its submarine fleet in the Pacific just for this reason, Donnelly was quoted as saying.

"China's development and defense buildup will never endanger another country," Qin said.

Besides the path of peaceful development and a long-held defensive national defense policy, Beijing is underlining a "new security outlook" featuring mutual trust, interest, equality and cooperation, he said.

"We hope relevant countries strengthen dialogue and beef up mutual trust so as to jointly maintain peace and safety around the world."

The spokesman also announced that China and the US will hold the fifth Strategic Economic Dialogue (SED) December 4-5 in Beijing.

Vice-Premier Wang Qishan and US Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson will co-chair the SED as representatives of the presidents of the two countries, Qin said.

The fifth dialogue, under the theme of "laying the foundation for a long-term Sino-US economic partnership", will try to push forward macroeconomic risk management, balanced economic development, energy and environmental cooperation, he said.