Tuesday, March 21 2006 11:24 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Beijing: China today(Mar 21,2006) objected to what it termed United States' 'wrong opinions' about Beijing's human rights record and its military spending.

"China has made a strong representation against the US for its wrong opinions on the country in the US National Security Strategy report issued recently," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said.

"We ask the US side to stop releasing remarks that are harmful to the healthy development of the Sino-US relations, to mutual understanding and to regional peace, stability and development," Qin was quoted by Xinhua as saying.

Though the report on one hand noted that China shares many common interests with the US, Qin said, but on the other, "made irresponsible remarks to groundlessly reproach China's domestic and foreign policies, and interfered in China's internal affairs".

"China expressed its strong dissatisfaction with the above wrongdoings of the US and has made strong representations agaisnt the US," Qin said.

The Chinese statement came as diplomats from both the countries are preparing for Chinese President Hu Jintao's maiden visit to the US next month.

"We hope the US side will take feasible measures to eliminate harmful influence of the related remarks in the report and fulfil the consensus reached by the two state heads to fully promote the constructive partnership of cooperation in the 21st century with concrete acts, to safeguard the stable and healthy development of bilateral relations and the fundamental common interests of the two countries," Qin said.

Qin said China is a major force in safeguarding world peace and promoting common development and it has already decided its domestic and foreign policies and development direction.

"That is to firmly take the socialist road with Chinese characteristics and peaceful development road and adhere to an independent foreign policy of peace. China is dedicating itself to building a peaceful, friendly, cooperative and harmonious world with other nations," he said.

"China carries out a national defence policy which is defensive in nature and its limited national defence strength is targeted for self-defence," he added.

He said China has conducted economic and energy cooperation with other countries on the basis of equality and mutual benefits, and this is 'completely rightful and beyond reproach."'

China's soaring economy has witnessed huge demand for energy resources. This has triggered Chinese oil and gas companies to scout around the world for hydrocarbon resources, even in countries like Iran which are having a diplomatic stand-off with the US.

"China's development has brought about unprecedented opportunities for the Asian-Pacific region as well as the world on the whole, and contributed to maintaining world peace and common development," Qin said.

On the Taiwan issue, he said he hopes the US side will strictly stick to its commitments of adhering to the one-China policy, abiding by the three Sino-US communiques.