BEIJING - China's growing military power is in accordance with the country's economic and social development and in line with its defense needs, Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin said here on Monday.

Responding to recent criticisms from Japan on the increases in China's defense spending, Liu said at a daily press conference that the Chinese defense budget has only seen single- or double-digit growth for the past two decades, though the country has been undergoing rapid development for more than 30 years.

"During some countries' economic booms in the 1960s and 1970s, they also saw double-digit growth in their defense budgets for several decades," he said.

With a territory of 9.6 million square km, a border of 22,000 km and a continental coastline of 18,000 km, China is a big country and one that has not been completely unified, said Liu, adding that China also faces military threats from various directions.

"China needs to ensure its national security and interests," he said.

"More importantly, China's defense policies and strategic intent are transparent," he said, "and it is never a choice for China to seek dominance when gaining strength."

Adhering to peaceful development and defense policies that fend off risks is aimed at safeguarding not only China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, but also the peace and stability of both the region and the world, he said.

He said that China does not intend to challenge anyone, and poses no threat to any country.

"China is continously improving its military transparence," he said, refering to China's white paper on national defense.