Chinese President Xi Jinping has reiterated that the country has no plans of seeking a hegemonic status, according to a Want China Times report.
"In strengthening our defense and military capabilities, we are not going after some kind of military adventure and it never crosses our minds," said Xi in an interview with the Wall Street Journal cited by the report.
Xi explained that as a country endowed with a vast expanse of land, they have no time entertaining such ambitions as it is already a tremendous task to maintain order in China's domestic jurisdiction.
Not long ago, Xi stated that the People's Liberation Army (PLA) will undergo a troop reduction of 3,000 personnel.
He further added that China has not been lax in its contribution to the peacekeeping efforts of the United Nations and the campaign against piracy in the Gulf of Aden, among other international concerns.
With regards to the United States, Xi urged the latter to enhance cooperation and coordination with China in matters that concern the Asia Pacific region while championing the principles of mutual respect and win-win cooperation.
Xi also expressed China's desire to contribute more toward the security of the international community.
"We welcome whatever contributes to regional peace and stability and oppose whatever may lead to conflict and turmoil in the region," said Xi.
"We hope to identify still more converging ground in the region for the two countries, continuously build up strategic trust and work with other countries in making the region more peaceful, stable and prosperous," the Chinese president added.