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                    US, not China, stands at strategic crossroads

    BEIJING, Feb. 7 (Xinhuanet) -- China has expressed firm opposition to a U.S. defence review to play up the "China military threat."

    Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan told a press conference on Tuesday that China has lodged serious representation with the U.S. side on the China-related content in the Quadrennial Defence Review (QDR).

    The QDR, issued by the U.S. Department of Defence on Feb. 3, irrationally criticized China's normal defence construction. The move "interfered in China's internal affairs" and could "mislead public opinion," Kong said.

    Ruan Zongze, deputy head of the China Institute of International Studies and an expert on China-U.S. relations, said the report criticized China as lacking military transparency.

    "The criticism is unacceptable," said Ruan. China has publicized white papers on its national defence annually for many years and issued a first-ever white paper on its peaceful development in December 2005.

    Kong said China is taking a straight path toward peaceful development and is adopting a national defence policy of a defensive nature, thus constituting an important force to promote the peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region and the world.   "China has never threatened any country in the past and at present, and will never do so in the future," he said.

    He urged the U.S. side to correct its viewpoints and actions, saying it should "review China's peaceful development from an objective perspective and stop its random and irresponsible remarks on China's normal defence construction."

    Instead, the United States "should do more to promote the healthy and steady growth of Sino-U.S. relations," he said.

    Ruan noted that compared with the previous report issued in 2001, this QDR specified China's military potential to challenge the United States. The United States is paying more and more attention to China's military issues.

    Zhu Feng, a professor of the International Relations Institute of the prestigious Beijing University, said the United States considers China as the biggest competitor and therefore has continuously strengthened its guard against China.

    Security of Chinese nationals in S. Africa

    The Chinese side has urged South Africa to "take substantial measures" to protect the life and property of Chinese citizens living in the country, Kong Quan said.

    Three Chinese businesspeople were killed by armed robbers in South Africa within the space of 36 hours last weekend; another one was killed earlier this year.

    "The Chinese government is deeply concerned with the continual robbery cases which have caused Chinese casualties," said Kong.

    He urged South African police to strengthen their investigation on the cases and to punish the criminals.

    Kong also appealed to Chinese citizens in South Africa to keep alert and take necessary defensive measures.

    More than 40 armed robbery cases against Chinese citizens occurred in South Africa last year, resulting in eight fatalities.

    4th round of China-Japan strategic dialogue

    A Chinese delegation headed by Vice Foreign Minister Dai Bingguo will leave for Japan on Thursday to attend the fourth-round of China-Japan strategic dialogue, announced Kong Quan Tuesday.

    Kong told a regular news conference that Dai Bingguo will have the dialogue with Shotaro Yachi, Japanese Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, who heads the Japanese delegation.

    China and Japan already held three rounds of strategic dialogue last year in May, June, October respectively.