China irritated by G-7 statement on its military arsenal

BEIJING, Nov 17 (KUNA) -- China on Thursday expressed deep dismay with the G7 states' statement regarding the nation's growing military arsenal.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Li Jian said at a news conference that the G7 intentionally sought to smear China's image when the bloc statement voiced concern over its growing military might and expansion of its nuclear arsenal.
The official news agency Xinua quoted Jian as saying that China adopts "the path of peaceful development and a defense policy in the military sphere while keeping its nuclear potentials at the minimum required level for its national security." On Ukraine, he said Beijing has abstained from dispatching lethal arms to the country and placed constraints on double-usage materials' exports.
The G7 foreign ministers of the US, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Britain in addition to the EU higher representative had issued a joint statement lashing out at China in the end of a meeting in Canada on Wednesday. (end) slq.rk