China on Wednesday denied claims in a U.S. government report, saying it exaggerated China's military strength.

"We firmly oppose this report," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said in a press release when asked to comment on the annual report by the U.S. Defense Department.

She said the report exaggerated China's military strength, and unfairly blamed China for some problems that exist in the bilateral military relationship.

"China unswervingly sticks to a path of peaceful development and pursues a national defense policy which is defensive in nature," Jiang said, noting that China is devoted to safeguarding peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region and the world at large.

"We urge the U.S side to respect this fact," she said.

Jiang also urged the United States to stop issuing such reports on China's military, and work towards improving relations between the two militaries and the two nations, instead of working against China.

(Xinhua News Agency August 18, 2010)