China Condemns US Defense Bill, Warns of Strong Response

China Condemns US Defense Bill, Warns of Strong Response

China has strongly condemned the US "National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025," accusing it of containing negative content and playing up the "China threat" narrative. The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Mao Ning, stated that the US has consistently abused state power to target China's scientific and technological development, limited trade and economic exchanges, and undermined China's sovereignty and security.

Mao urged the US to abandon its Cold War mentality and ideological bias, and instead view China's development and the China-US relationship objectively and rationally. She emphasized the importance of adhering to the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiqués, and called for an end to arming Taiwan, politicizing and weaponizing scientific and technological issues, and finding pretexts for increasing military expenditure and maintaining hegemony.

The spokesperson warned that China will take strong and resolute measures to safeguard its sovereignty, security, and development interests if the US implements the negative articles concerning China.

According to Reuters, the act allocates resources towards countering China, including $300 million to help Taiwan acquire capabilities such as anti-ship missiles, radars, and coastal and missile defense. It also imposes new restrictions on China and Chinese businesses, including requiring reports on China's economic outlook, biotechnology industry, and synthetic opioids.

Li Haidong, a professor at China Foreign Affairs University, believes that the US National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 will negatively impact China-US relations in the coming year. He sees it as an act designed to meet the demands of hawkish and anti-China forces, hype the "China threat" rhetoric, and provide pretexts for the US military industrial complex to profit.