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

“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“We call on the US not to [apply] its hegemonic logic to China, not to view China-US relations with outdated cold war thinking, and not to use strategic competition as a means to contain and suppress China.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.”
“If we want to deter war with the Chinese or others, we have to be strong,” Hegseth said.