On November 23, Canada’s Ministry of National Defence announced that Defence Minister McGuinty stated, while attending a security forum, that Canada’s investments in national defense are crucial in light of the ongoing challenges, including Russia’s illegal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine and China’s increasingly assertive actions in the Indo-Pacific region. What is China’s comment on this?

The remarks made by Canadian government officials concerning China ran counter to the facts. They are not conducive to regional peace and stability, and are not constructive at all. China firmly opposes this. China stays committed to the path of peaceful development, and has always been a builder of world peace, a contributor to global development, and a defender of the international order. China is consistently dedicated to fostering a peaceful, stable, and prosperous Asia-Pacific region.

By contrast, for some time the Canadian side has, under the pretext of upholding freedom of navigation and overflight, repeatedly sent military vessels and helicopters to flex its muscles in the region. This has severely contravened the purpose and principles of the UN Charter and undermined regional peace and stability. China urges the Canadian side to stop groundless vilification of China, earnestly respect regional countries’ desire and efforts, and do more that is conducive to regional peace and stability, not the opposite.