China has criticized U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for calling China a threat during a global security forum in Singapore. On Sunday, China’s Foreign Ministry said Hegseth’s speech promoted a Cold War mentality and increased tensions between Washington and Beijing.
Hegseth made the comments on Saturday during the Shangri-La Dialogue, an international event where defense leaders meet to discuss security issues. He said China’s growing military power is a serious concern, especially for Taiwan. In reply, China said the United States is pushing conflict and confrontation in Asia.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry said Hegseth made unfair claims against China. It said the U.S. is ignoring calls for peace and trying to divide countries into opposing groups, similar to the Cold War period between the U.S. and the Soviet Union.
China said the U.S. is the only country acting like a global bully. It accused the U.S. of damaging peace in the Asia-Pacific region by sending weapons and building military strength there.
At the same forum, Hegseth said China’s military is preparing for real conflict. He warned that the threat from China is not just possible, but it could happen soon. He added that the U.S. will increase its defense plans in other parts of the world to face this challenge.
China responded by saying Taiwan is part of its own territory and not a matter for outside countries. The government warned the U.S. not to take risky steps involving Taiwan. China also said the U.S. is adding more weapons to the South China Sea and causing problems instead of solving them.
On Facebook, the Chinese Embassy in Singapore said Hegseth’s speech was full of provocation. The embassy repeated that the U.S. is the one creating danger in the region, not China.
The disagreement between the two countries comes during a fragile time. Last month, both sides agreed to reduce high trade tariffs. The U.S. cut tariffs from 145 percent to 30 percent for 90 days. China also lowered its own tariffs from 125 percent to 10 percent on U.S. products. This was seen as a temporary peace to allow more trade talks. But experts are unsure if this deal will last.
Just days ago, the U.S. announced it would begin canceling visas for some Chinese students. This added to the growing list of issues between the two countries, including trade, military actions, and technology concerns.
During the Singapore event, Philippines Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro also spoke about the situation. He disagreed with China’s view that the U.S. is the main source of problems. He pointed to growing clashes between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea. He said China’s ideas about fairness often go against international rules.
The Chinese Embassy reacted to Teodoro’s words with more Facebook posts. It defended China’s position, saying the South China Sea islands belong to China. The embassy blamed the Philippines for illegal activities in Chinese waters and said outside countries were making things worse.
The embassy added that other countries are carrying out military exercises near China and bringing in allies, which it views as threats. While no country was directly named, it was clear that the United States was the target of the message.
In a separate post, the Chinese Embassy answered concerns about Taiwan raised by French President Emmanuel Macron. Macron had warned that too much focus on Taiwan might take attention away from the war in Ukraine. The embassy did not name Macron, but it included a photo of him at the forum. It said that talking about double standards while using double standards brings no real answers.
Unlike previous years, China did not send its top defense minister to the Singapore forum. Instead, it sent Maj. Gen. Hu Gangfeng, a lower-level official from the People’s Liberation Army National Defense University. Some experts see this as a sign that China is less willing to talk openly at such events.
As political and military tensions rise between the U.S. and China, their relationship continues to weaken. Both sides accuse each other of increasing the risk of conflict, especially in sensitive areas like Taiwan and the South China Sea. Trade issues, student visas, and military drills are all adding pressure to an already difficult situation.