China's military no threat

Beijing (CNS) -- China's military spending is going to rocket in the next three years, to a number larger than what is spent by all other Asian countries and regions together, British Jane's Defence Weekly predicted recently.

This assumption is patently wrong, says Qu Xing, president of China Institute of International Studies (CIIS).

During an interview with CNS, Qu explained that such reports are likely funded by some Western munitions merchants trying to conveniently position some country, in this case China, as a potential military threat; it's merely good for business.

Qu reiterated China's determination as the world's second-largest economic body to maintain world peace, just as President Hu Jintao stated during his new year's address for 2012.

Military experts say China's military spending is still directed to shoring up what has in fact been insubstantial defense spending, budgets that persistently trail far behind the world standard for advanced countries.

Meanwhile, China has been taking more responsibilities for military operations other than wars, such as earthquake relief, military escort services and resident relocations, which are also counted into national military spending, not to mention the improvement of payment standards within the system itself.