China will always honor its promise not to launch a nuclear first-strike, said Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hong Lei Thursday in Beijing.

"The Chinese government made a solemn promise since the very first day it possessed nuclear weapons not to be the first to use them at any time and under any circumstances," Hong said at a regular news briefing.

He made the remarks to refute media reports saying China is mulling a possible change of its non-first-strike policy.

These reports also said that China was considering the merits of a preemptive nuclear strike for self-defense against another nuclear-armed state if no other options were available.

Hong added that the reports were "totally groundless and have ulterior motives."