BEIJING, June 12 (Xinhua) -- Hyping up the so-called "China threat" is Washington's habitual trick as it needs excuses for expanding military prowess and budget to seek regional and global hegemony.

Recently, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin issued an internal directive to laser-focus Department of Defense efforts to address China as the United States' number one pacing challenge.

The absurd logic behind Washington's frequent claim of being threatened by other countries is just like a thief crying "stop the thief!"

The fact is that the United States has been ranking first in the world in military spending for years. Figures show that between the end of World War II and 2001, 201 of the 248 military conflicts in 153 countries and territories were launched by the United States.

In addition, the United States owns the largest and most advanced nuclear arsenal in the world. The U.S. administration has not only refused to fulfill its special and primary responsibilities in nuclear disarmament, but also wantonly pulled out of international treaties and organizations, spent trillions of U.S. dollars in upgrading its nuclear arsenal, lowered the threshold for the use of nuclear weapons, and expanded the scope of a nuclear strike. All these have undermined global strategic security and stability.

Moreover, the United States has set up more than 800 overseas military bases around the world. Specifically, in Asia, the U.S. military presence poses a serious threat to regional peace and stability.

It has stationed troops in some Asian countries for a long time. Under the guise of the so-called "freedom of navigation," it sent warships and military aircraft to stir up tensions in the East China Sea and the South China Sea, which has seriously jeopardized the sovereignty and security interests of regional countries.

Ironically, in a sharp contrast, China has always followed a path of peaceful development, and has consistently pursued a national defense policy that is defensive in nature.

China's efforts to strengthen national defense do not target or threaten any other country. Since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, the country has never initiated any war or occupied any inch of another country's land.

Besides, China is the only country in the world that has written peaceful development into its constitution. China's unremitting pursuit of world peace as well as its positive contribution are widely recognized by the international community.

It is not hard for the whole world to distinguish who is a real threat to world peace and security. The so-called "China threat" is merely one of the many tricks adopted by Washington to smear China and contain China's development.

For the sake of peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region and the world at large, Washington must abandon its zero-sum game mindset, view China's development objectively and rationally, and stop its absurd crying of being threatened by other countries. Enditem

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