BEIJING – Beijing is criticizing a Pentagon report saying that big budget increases have boosted the Chinese military's ability to project military power abroad.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said Friday that China's armed forces are purely for defense. He said the U.S. should "shake off bias" and stop issuing annual reports on China.
The Pentagon report said China is developing new types of missiles, expanding the reach of its navy and upgrading its air force. It said China also is investing heavily in cyberspace, space and electronic warfare.
China in March announced a 12.2 percent increase in military spending to $132 billion, the second-highest defense budget for any nation behind the U.S.
Separately, China's official Xinhua News Agency said the Pentagon report was "filled with flawed facts," but gave no examples.
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