China Pans US As World's 'Source of Chaos' After Pentagon Threat Report

China has called the U.S. the "fundamental source of chaos" in the world in response to a new report by the Pentagon that detailed Beijing's growing military capabilities.

"Facts have proven that the United States is the fundamental source of chaos in the international order, the manipulator behind the scenes of world turmoil, and the biggest destroyer of regional peace and stability," Wu Qian, China's Defense Ministry spokesperson, said.

The U.S. Department of Defense's (DOD) report on China's military is an annual assessment of the PLA's capabilities. Released on October 19, the report said China has rapidly expanded its nuclear capability while increasing its arsenal to 500 nuclear warheads by May this year.

The U.S. report said the People's Liberation Army's evolving capabilities continued to strengthen China's "ability to 'fight and win wars' against a 'strong enemy' (a likely euphemism for the United States), counter an intervention by a third party in a conflict along [China]'s periphery, and project power globally."

Wu said the Pentagon report "makes up random things."

"This report ignores the facts, makes up random things, distorts the interpretation of China's national defense policy and military strategy, and exaggerates the non-existent 'Chinese military threat.'"

Wu said the U.S. had "withdrawn from arms control treaties such as the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty and the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty" and "deployed land-based intermediate-range missiles in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region."

Wu said it was the U.S. that had "strengthened its military deployment in the Asia-Pacific" and "pieced together trilateral security partnerships, peddled the 'Quadrilateral Mechanism' and strengthened the 'Five Eyes Alliance.'"

'Quadrilateral Mechanism' refers to the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (or Quad), which involves the U.S., Japan, Australia, and India. Beijing views the Quad as a grouping set up by the U.S. to counter China's rise. The "Five Eyes" is an intelligence-sharing alliance between the United States, Australia, Britain, Canada and New Zealand.

Wu also accused the U.S. of "using Taiwan to contain China" and urged the U.S. to stop arming Taiwan. China claims Taiwan as part of its territory, although Beijing has never governed the self-administered island.

Wu went on at a press briefing to criticize U.S. support for Israel in its conflict with Hamas and for Ukraine in its war with Russia, while mocking U.S. concerns about human rights in China.

"The U.S. has sent depleted uranium bombs and cluster bombs to Ukraine, aircraft carrier battle groups to the Mediterranean, and weapons and ammunition to Israel. Is this the good news that the so-called 'human rights defenders' have brought to the region?" Wu added.

The U.S. has sought to restore channels of communication with the PLA, which have remained severed since last year. But Beijing has rebuffed the calls for restoring the lines of communication between the two militaries.

Wu instead accused the U.S. of "coercing China to accept its malicious provocations" while repeating the need to "communicate with China."

Beijing will soon host the Beijing Xiangshan Forum, an annual defense meeting. The forum attracts senior military officials and delegates from around the world. Michael Chase, U.S. deputy assistant secretary of defense for China, confirmed that the Pentagon will send a delegation to participate in the forum without naming the officials. The forum hasn't been held in person since 2019.

China Daily, a Chinese state media outlet, reported that the U.S. will send Cynthia Xanthi Carras, country director for China at the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Policy, who has registered on the forum's website.