The Chinese Communist Party has sharply criticized U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, accusing him of promoting a “Cold War mentality.”
It comes after Hegseth called out Beijing’s growing military threat in the Indo-Pacific during a speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.
On Sunday, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson issued a harsh statement claiming Hegseth “deliberately ignored the call for peace and development by countries in the region, and instead touted the Cold War mentality for bloc confrontation, vilified China with defamatory allegations, and falsely called China a ‘threat.'”
“The remarks were filled with provocations and intended to sow discord,” the ministry continued.
“China deplores and firmly opposes them and has protested strongly to the U.S. No country in the world deserves to be called a hegemonic power other than the US itself, which is also the primary factor undermining the peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific.”
During his remarks Saturday, Hegseth directly addressed China’s military intentions and stated:
“We are not going to sugarcoat it — the threat China poses is real. And it could be imminent.”
He warned that China’s military is no longer just posturing, but actively preparing for action:
“The Chinese army is rehearsing for the real deal.”
He specifically emphasized China’s preparation for a possible conflict over Taiwan.
Hegseth noted the communist regime is “actively training for it, every day.”
China’s response was swift and emphatic.
Referring to Taiwan, the ministry declared it a domestic matter and warned the U.S. to back off:
“No country is in a position to interfere.
“The US should never imagine it could use the Taiwan question as leverage against China.
“The US must never play with fire on this question.
“China urges the US to fully abide by the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiqués, and stop supporting and emboldening the ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist forces.”
The statement also accused the United States of escalating tensions in the South China Sea.
Despite repeated provocations by Beijing in disputed waters, the Chinese government claimed there were no issues with international access:
“There has never been any problem with regard to freedom of navigation and overflight there.”
China insisted it has always been open to diplomacy, stating:
“China has always been committed to working with countries concerned to properly handle differences through dialogue and consultation, while safeguarding China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in accordance with laws and regulations.”
Blaming Washington for instability in the region, the spokesperson added:
“It is the U.S. that is the primary factor hurting the peace and stability in the South China Sea.”
China concluded its statement with a demand:
“China urges the U.S. to fully respect the efforts of countries in the region to maintain peace and stability, stop deliberately destroying the peaceful and stable environment cherished by the region, and stop inciting conflict and confrontation and escalating tensions in the region.”
Chinese Defense Ministry spokesperson Zhang Xiaogang also condemned Hegseth’s remarks.
Xiaogang claimed Hegseth misrepresented China’s policies, and his remarks were meant as a provocation.
Meanwhile, Hegseth emphasized that America’s allies must also step up to deter China’s ambitions:
“We ask, and indeed we insist, that our allies and partners do their part on defense. Sometimes that means having uncomfortable and tough conversations.”
While military tensions simmer, a separate front has emerged in trade relations.
The U.S. and China recently agreed to a 90-day tariff reduction to give both sides time to renegotiate broader economic terms, with U.S. tariffs on China cut from 145% to 30%, and Chinese tariffs on the U.S. dropped from 125% to 10%.
However, President Donald Trump issued a strong warning Friday.
Trump said he would no longer be “nice” in trade negotiations with Beijing, accusing China of breaching a prior agreement.
He signaled that tougher measures may be back on the table.
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