The Chinese Foreign Ministry has slammed a Pentagon report which examines Chinese military spending and issues related to the South China Sea.
The report says that the construction of a military outpost in Djibouti could be part of an ongoing military expansion on friendly foreign soil. It also alleges that China used "coercive tactics" to enforce its maritime claims.
Spokesperson Hua Chunying dismissed the report as making "irresponsible" remarks about China's steps to maintain its territorial sovereignty and safety.
"We hope the U.S. will abandon this Cold War mentality and look at China's military development rationally and safeguard bilateral relations by taking concrete action," said Hua.