Photo: Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun

At a regular press conference of Chinese Foreign Ministry on June 26, spokesperson Guo Jiakun stressed that China remains committed to a path of peaceful development, and that the country’s military development is aimed at safeguarding national sovereignty, security, and development interests, and is not targeted at any country.

Guo’s remarks were made in response to a foreign media question asking for China’s comment on that that Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported on June 26 that it had obtained a New Zealand government internal document from late last year, which claimed that as Beijing expands its security presence, China’s ballistic missile tests and naval activities would become a “persistent” feature in the Pacific region.

The spokesperson said that he was not aware of the so-called “internal document” mentioned in the report.

The growth of China’s military capability represents an increase in the forces for world peace, and helps safeguard peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific and the world, the spokesperson added.