Amidst escalating trade tensions with Beijing, the Pentagon chief’s statement addresses potential conflict.
The US Department of Defense has declared that the US is prepared for potential war with China, a statement made in response to China’s threat of tariff retaliation, marking a further escalation in the ongoing trade dispute between the world’s two largest economies.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, in a Fox News interview on Wednesday, clarified the US stance following a statement from the Chinese Embassy in the US indicating Beijing’s readiness to fight “any” type of war.
“We are prepared,” Hegseth affirmed, adding that, “Those who long for peace must prepare for war.”
He elaborated that the US is rebuilding its military and restoring a “deterrence in the warrior ethos” for this reason.
“We live in a dangerous world with powerful, ascendant countries that have very different ideologies,” he stated. “They’re rapidly increasing their defense spending, modernizing technology –they want to supplant the United States.”
Hegseth emphasized the importance of maintaining military strength to avoid conflict, saying, “If we want to deter war with the Chinese or others, we have to be strong.”
The Pentagon chief also asserted that US President Donald Trump maintains “a great relationship” with Chinese President Xi Jinping, and that cooperation and partnership will be pursued whenever possible. However, Hegseth underscored that his primary responsibility as Secretary of Defense is to ensure readiness for any potential confrontation.
China issued a warning on Tuesday, stating it would respond if the US continues to escalate the trade or tariff war, following Trump’s decision to double tariffs on Chinese imports from 10% to 20%. These increases were in addition to tariffs of up to 25% previously imposed by the Trump administration on approximately $370 billion worth of US imports from China in 2018 and 2019.
“If war is what the US wants, be it a tariff war, a trade war, or any other type of war, we’re ready to fight till the end,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian stated, a sentiment echoed by the Chinese Embassy.
In response to Trump’s measures, Beijing announced tariff increases of 10%-15% on various American agricultural and food products. Additionally, it placed 25 US companies under export and investment restrictions, citing national security concerns.
Beijing has also filed a lawsuit with the World Trade Organization (WTO), claiming that US tariffs violate international trade regulations, and has urged Washington to resolve the dispute through dialogue.
US-China trade tensions initially arose in 2018 during Trump’s first term when he imposed tariffs on Chinese goods, citing unfair trade practices and intellectual property theft. This action initiated a reciprocal escalation that disrupted global markets and supply chains.
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