Beijing accuses Pentagon chief Hegseth of raising false China threat fears

Verbal volleys fired from both sides of the Pacific as the Chinese military looks set for a bigger budget

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US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth says the United States has to be strong to deter China and others. Photo: Getty Images

Published: 7:40pm, 6 Mar 2025Updated: 7:43pm, 6 Mar 2025

China has accused the US defence chief of provoking an “ideological confrontation” with his suggestion that Washington has to maintain its strength in the face of Beijing’s “rapidly increasing” military budget.

“The relevant remarks by the US official are deliberately provoking ideological confrontation and shouting about the threat from China,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said on Thursday.

“We call on the US not to [apply] its hegemonic logic to China, not to view China-US relations with outdated cold war thinking, and not to use strategic competition as a means to contain and suppress China.

“China’s position is clear and consistent: whether it’s a tariff war or a trade war, whether it’s a cold war or a hot war, it can’t be fought and it can’t be won.”

Lin was responding to comments US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth made in an interview with Fox News on Wednesday.

“If we want to deter war with the Chinese or others, we have to be strong,” Hegseth said.