China rejects Japan's claims on defense spending

China rejected on Tuesday comments by Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi comparing the two countries' military spending, saying Tokyo has no standing to make groundless accusations on China's legitimate national defense development.

Speaking at a regular news briefing, Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun stressed that on issues of peace and security, China has one of the best records among major countries.

China's defense spending growth, he said, is reasonable and lawful, aimed both at addressing security challenges and safeguarding legitimate national interests, as well as at better fulfilling its international responsibilities as a major country.

"Japan, given its grave history of aggression, has no qualification whatsoever to lecture others," Guo said.

Guo noted that because of Japan's egregious wartime aggression, its military and security moves have long been closely watched by neighboring countries and the international community.

He pointed out that in fiscal year 2025, Japan's per capita defense spending and per-service-member defense expenditure were respectively three times and more than twice those of China.

In recent years, Guo said, Japan has significantly adjusted its security policy, with defense spending rising for 13 consecutive years and surging by about 60 percent over the past five years.

"Who exactly is expanding its military? Who is attempting to interfere in other countries' internal affairs by force and challenge their core interests? Who is threatening regional peace and stability? The facts speak for themselves," Guo said.

The spokesman warned that Japan's accelerating push toward remilitarization will only deepen doubts about the direction the country is heading.

"All peace-loving countries remain highly vigilant and firmly oppose any dangerous attempts to revive Japanese militarism, and will work together to safeguard the hard-won outcomes of the victory in World War II," he added.