China strongly opposes the United States including clauses that interfere with China's domestic affairs in its 2020 National Defense Authorization Act, which was signed into law on December 20, China's Ministry of National Defense said Thursday.

The 738-billion-U.S.-dollar defense act includes items that support the protests in Hong Kong, improve Taiwan's defense capabilities through extensive military exchanges and arms sales, and require the compilation of regular in-depth reports about the conditions of Muslims in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. 

The act seriously violated the one-China principle as well as the three joint communiques between China and the U.S., and severely damaged China-U.S. relations, said spokesperson Wu Qian.

The United States openly intervened in Hong Kong and Xinjiang affairs, undermined Hong Kong's prosperity and stability, discredited China's efforts to combat terrorism, which seriously violated international law and basic principles of international relations, said Wu.

Any attempt by the United States to curb China's development will not succeed, said Wu. He urged the U.S. to abandon the Cold War mentality and hegemonic logic, immediately stop interfering in China's internal affairs, and take concrete actions to maintain the overall ties between the two countries and the two armed forces.

Wu also rebuked the U.S. groundless accusations of "China's military threat," saying the U.S. is the saboteur of the current international order.

"The United States pursues unilateralism and protectionism," Wu continued, adding "The United States withdrew from the Paris agreement, UNESCO, the United Nations Human Rights Council, the Iranian nuclear deal, and the INF Treaty. This behavior makes it clear to the international community that the United States is the saboteur of the current international order."