"Chinese soldiers are equipped with courage and strength. They are not only capable of fighting, they are very good at fighting," said Yang Yujun, spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense, at a press conference on Thursday.

Yang's statement was in response to a question from a netizen who expressed doubts about the military's capability, since Chinese troops "have not fought a single battle in several decades."

Yang stated that the reason the Chinese military has not fought in a war for several decades is that China does not worship military power or conflict. China adheres to a path of peaceful development, and pursues a national defense policy that is defensive in nature, Yang said.

Although most current Chinese soldiers have not experienced a real battlefield, they have nevertheless proved their ability to deal with life and death situations during a variety of operations, including counter-terrorism, contingency response, international peacekeeping, naval escort and overseas evacuation.

China has carefully maintained its military capability since the 18th National Party Congress. "The morale, weaponry, equipment, personnel competence and level of training have all improved notably, resulting in a substantial upgrade of core military capability," Yang said.