BEIJING -- A Chinese defense spokesman on Thursday called on the international community to jointly contain Japan's neo-militarism.

Jiang Bin, a spokesman for the Ministry of National Defense, made the remarks in response to a media query about Tokyo framing China as a "security threat" in the Pacific, while rejecting China's criticisms of its neo-militarist moves.

Jiang pointed out that in recent years, Japan has seen sharp hikes in its defense budget, developed and deployed offensive weapons, eased restrictions on exporting lethal weapons, pushed to revise the pacifist Constitution, clamored to be a war-capable nation, and even touted abandoning the three non-nuclear principles.

"If these actions are still labeled as 'exclusively defense-oriented,' then there would be no such word as 'offensive' in the dictionary," Jiang told the press.

He warned that Japanese militarism once brought catastrophic disasters to the world and its people, while the "gray rhino" of a remilitarized Japan is gathering speed today.

"The international community must see through Japan's 'deceptive diplomacy' and 'victim portrait,'" Jiang said, calling for joint efforts to contain Japan's neo-militarism and safeguard peace and stability in the region and the wider world.