China has urged the U.S. to accept China's peaceful development in an objective and rational manner, to promote China-U.S. relations and global stability, Wu Qian, spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense, said at a press conference on Thursday.

He made the remarks when asked to comment on U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's statement that U.S. military deployment is aimed at countering "China's aggressive bullying behavior."

Wu said, "When it comes to 'bullying' in the international relations, the U.S. side is a worthy initiator.”

He added, the U.S. regarded a package of white powder as the excuse to invade Iraq, a sovereign country and used a staged video by White Helmets as the excuse for military intervention in Syria.

The Chinese people will never forget that 23 years ago in May, the U.S.-led NATO bombed the Chinese Embassy in the then Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, he said. "It's not only bullying but also a crime."

Referring to the rules-based international order, Wu also pointed out the U.S. is the world-recognized rule-breaker, noting the U.S. always applies international law in a selective way as it has withdrawn from several international treaties including the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces Treaty and the Treaty on Open Skies.

The U.S. acts only laid bare its selfishness and hypocrisy, the spokesperson said, adding the U.S. is in no position to lecture other countries on the issue.

China urged the U.S. to stop using its domestic laws as international principles, and pushing for an American-centric "hegemonic order," Wu stressed.