BEIJING - A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said Monday that China has always kept its nuclear power at the lowest level for its security needs.

Spokesman Hong Lei made the remarks at a press briefing in response to a media request for comment on the recent claim that "China expanded its nuclear arsenal in 2012," as stated in a report of the Stockholm International Peace Institute.

Hong said China's nuclear policy is clear, and he emphasized that China's nuclear strategy is the most transparent one among all nuclear-weapon states.

China always advocates that nuclear weapons should be completely forbidden and totally destroyed, and it also firmly pursues a nuclear strategy of self-defense, Hong said.

He added that China has adhered to the policy of not being the first to use nuclear weapons at any time or under any circumstances and unconditionally promises not to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against nuclear-free states or nuclear-free regions.

He noted that China never deploys any nuclear weapons in other countries, never takes part in any nuclear arms races and has always maintained its nuclear power at the lowest level for its security needs.

Hong stressed that China's nuclear power only serves self-defense purposes and the country never uses nuclear power to threaten any other country.

China expects no groundless speculation surrounding its limited quantities of nuclear power and believes that the country with the largest nuclear arsenal should bear special and primary responsibilities in nuclear disarmament, Hong said.