Claiming that the US is exaggerating the "China threat" narrative, Beijing accused the US of intervening in the internal affairs of other countries and causing tensions.
Reacting to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth calling China a threat in the Indo-Pacific at the Shangri-La Dialogue, Chinese defense ministry spokesperson Zhang Xiaogang expressed "strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition."
He claimed that the US is used to creating disputes, inciting confrontation and pursuing selfish interests and added that the statements by the defence secretary were full of hegemonic logic and Cold War mentality.
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According to a Global Times report, Zhang said the US is undermining the sovereignty, interests and policy positions of China and disregarding the joint efforts of regional countries to ensure prosperity and stability.
"China's armed forces will work with other countries in the region to oppose hegemonism harming the Asia-Pacific region," he said.
China has objected to Hegseth calling it a threat in the Indo-Pacific and dubbed Hegseth's remarks deplorable.
The United States has deployed offensive weaponry in the South China Sea and kept stoking flames and creating tensions in the Asia-Pacific, which are turning the region into a powder keg," a statement in China's defence ministry read, reported Reuters.