China refutes military purpose of Tanzania port

BEIJING - A Ministry of National Defense spokesman said Thursday a port in the Tanzanian town of Bagamoyo is a Sino-Tanzanian joint business project and any attempt to hype up its military purpose is meaningless.

Spokesman Yang Yujun made the statement in response to media reports on a $10-billion joint development agreement to be signed by China and Tanzania, as well as China's reported intention of making the port serve both military and civilian purposes and allow Chinese naval vessels to berth there for replenishment.

"The project serves the shared interests of both peoples and is conducive to regional prosperity and development," Yang said.

According to international conventions, the vessels of any given country may berth at any other countries' ports as long as consent is obtained from the relevant country, he said.