BEIJING, May 16 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Friday said that to be belligerent and aggressive has never been part of the Chinese tradition.

Spokesperson Zhao Lijian made the remarks at a press briefing in response to the report of the Globe and Mail of Canada, saying Chinese diplomats have adopted a heavy-handed approach around the world and damaged its global soft power.

"As for China's diplomatic policies, it is not our tradition to be belligerent and aggressive and we will never go down the path where a powerful state turns hegemonic," Zhao told the briefing.

"We always stay committed to the independent foreign policy of peace and promote equal-footed and friendly exchanges, which has won high acclaim from the international community," Zhao added.

He also urged relevant media to report China and China-Canada relations objectively instead of through biased lenses, and stop making false reports.  ■