Mark Esper Photo: VCG

In response to the US Defense Secretary's provocative comments that the Pentagon is preparing for China, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs presented one piece of advice, two facts and three questions to squash his groundless accusation against China, saying that any US politicians who respect the facts will get straight answers to their questions. 

In his article, titled "The Pentagon Is Prepared for China," US Defense Secretary Mark Esper claimed that the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) "belongs to—and serves—a political entity, the Chinese Communist Party," and creates "conditions to allow the Chinese Communist Party to coerce other countries and impede their sovereignty."

In response to Esper's remarks, foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said on Wednesday that he has "one piece of advice, two facts and three questions" for Esper.

The advice would be to read an article originally compiled by the Xinhua News Agency on Monday that listed facts and statistics that refuted the lies and groundless accusations of the "China threat."

The two facts would be: the Chinese army has participated over 20 times and sent more than 40,000 military personnel to UN peacekeeping operations since 1990, which makes China the country that has sent the most troops in peacekeeping operations among the five permanent members of the UN Security Council.

During the 240 years since the US was established, the country hasn't been engaged in wars for only 16 years. The country's military budget exceeded $716 billion in 2019, equivalent to the combined total for the military budgets of the nine countries after it. 

Zhao also threw three questions at Esper: Can the US make the same proclamation as China in sticking to peaceful development and opposing hegemonism? Which one is it that owns hundreds of military bases all over the world, and illegally launched a war against Iraq, Libya and Syria, and sends aircraft far away from its soil to flex its muscles?

And the last question: who is clinging to the Cold War mentality and keeps tearing up agreements, withdrawing from organizations and breaking global rules?

"If US politicians respect the facts, they will come up with the right answer," said Zhao. 

Global Times