China said Saturday in Beijing that US Bill Clinton's decision not to deploy the National Missile Defense (NMD) is "rational".

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhu Bangzao, in a statement on the matter, said that China has taken note of such a decision made by President Clinton on September 1, and held that the decision is rational.

China reiterates that the maintenance of the global strategic stability and security is in the interests of all countries, and conducive to world peace and stability as well as to international arms control and disarmament efforts, he said.

"We hope that the US government will have more contact and discussions with other countries on the matter, so as to make a decision which could serve the interests of countries and peoples all over the world," he said.

(Xinhua 09/2/2000)