As it said it was ready to cooperate with Washington on the Asia Pacific, China called on the United States to respect its interests there.

As it said it was ready to cooperate with Washington on the Asia Pacific, China called on the United States to respect its interests there.

"We are ready to work with the United States and other countries in this region to develop an Asia Pacific that enjoys greater stability and development," Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi told a news conference on the sidelines of the country's annual parliamentary session.

"At the same time we hope the United States will respect China's core interests and concerns."
Yang also told reporters that China-US relations were "moving forward" and Beijing welcomed "a constructive role by the United States in this region."

The call comes after President Barack Obama unveiled a new US defence strategy in January aimed at countering China's growing power, drawing strong criticism from Beijing which says it poses no threat to any other nation.

On Monday, Premier Wen Jiabao said China must enhance the ability of its military to win "local wars", a day after the government said defense spending would top $100 billion in 2012 -- an 11.2 percent increase on last year.