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China’s Defence Minister Dong Jun warns the US against interfering with Beijing on Taiwan and South China Sea in talks with Pete Hegseth.
US President Donald Trump with Chinese leader Xi Jinping | File Image/Reuters
China’s Defence Minister Dong Jun warned the United States that “containing, deterring, or interfering with Beijing will be futile”.
In a video call with his US counterpart Pete Hegseth on Wednesday, Jun discussed the fraught issues of Taiwan and the South China Sea, state broadcaster CCTV reported.
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“Any attempt or interference to use force to support independence or use Taiwan to contain China will be thwarted”, Jun told Hegseth during the video call.
Beijing considers self-ruled Taiwan part of its territory and has not ruled out the use of force to take it. Washington, meanwhile, is the island’s main arms supplier and is committed to its defence.
In the South China Sea, Dong said Beijing “firmly opposes infringement and provocation by certain countries and the deliberate incitement of chaos by countries outside the region”, CCTV reported.
China claims almost all of the South China Sea, despite overlapping claims with several Southeast Asian nations, while the US has regularly sent warships on “freedom of navigation” operations, infuriating Beijing.
“We must… build an equal, respectful, peacefully coexistent, stable and positive military-to-military relationship. We must respect each other’s core interests,” Dong said.
On the other hand, the Pentagon described the talks as “candid and constructive.”
“Secretary Hegseth made clear that the United States does not seek conflict with China nor is it pursuing regime change or strangulation of the PRC,” spokesman Sean Parnell said.
“At the same time, he relayed that the US has vital interests in the Asia-Pacific, the priority theater, and will resolutely protect those interests.”
(With inputs from agencies)
About the Author
Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degree from Ben…Read More
Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degree from Ben… Read More
Beijing, China
September 10, 2025, 20:00 IST
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