BEIJING, March 11 (Xinhuanet) -- The Chinese government is deeply

shocked over news that the U.S. Defence Department has outlined

the possible use of nuclear weapons against countries including

China, Foreign Ministry spokesman Sun Yuxi said here Monday.

China demands an explanation from the U.S. side about the issue,

Sun said when answering a question from the press on the Los

Angeles Times' recent report that the Pentagon has informed the U.

S. Congress in a secret report of its plan which includes the

possible use of nuclear weapons against China and six other

countries in emergency situations.

"Like many other countries, China is deeply shocked by this

report," Sun said, "the U.S. side bears the responsibility to make

an explanation on this matter."

China is a peace-loving country and poses no threat to any

other nation, Sun said.

"China has always held that nuclear weapons should be

comprehensively prohibited and thoroughly destroyed," he said.

"Countries with nuclear weapons should undertake

unconditionally not to be the first to use them, and not to use or

threaten to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear states or

nuclear-weapon-free regions," he said.

The spokesman noted the fact that China and the United States

have in place an agreement not to target each other with nuclear

weapons.

"Any Cold War mentality goes against the global trend of peace

and development through cooperation, and is doomed to failure," he

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