Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang reiterated in Beijing Tuesday that China adheres to the path of peaceful development and will not pose any threat to any country.

He made the remarks when asked to comment on claims by Seiji Maehara, leader of the Democratic Party of Japan, labeling China as a "real threat."

Qin said it was necessary to review the history and look into the future in judging China's growth.

The Chinese people have a traditional respect for peace, and China is concentrating all its efforts on economic growth in the hope of improving the people's livelihood.

China adheres to the principle of building friendship and partnership with neighboring countries and the policy of fostering an amicable, peaceful and prosperous neighborhood,he said.

"China's development has neither posed a threat nor undermined anybody's interests," he said.

China is bound to be a force in safeguarding world peace given further economic progress in the future, he noted.

Qin stressed it's reasonable for a sovereign country like China to keep an appropriate level of military spending so as to cover the living expenses of those in the military service and to safeguard its territorial integrity, national sovereignty and security.

According to Qin, China's military expenditure totaled 25.6 billion US dollars in 2004, or 23 US dollars per capita. The figure of over 1,300 US dollars for Japan was 1.62 times that of China's total. The average military spending on each member of the Japanese military reached 200,000 US dollars, 15 times that of the Chinese army staff.

Japan's territory equals only one twenty-fifth of China's and its population is only one tenth of China's.

"What is Japan's purpose to maintain such a huge military spending?" he asked?

Qin said it would be in the interest of the Japanese Democratic Party, Japan and Sino-Japanese relations, if Seiji Maehara could do and say more that is good for promoting friendly relations between China and Japan.

Source: Xinhua