US defence secretary Pete Hegseth on Wednesday said that the United States is “prepared” to go to war with China, following warnings from Beijing over rising trade tensions.
Hegseth’s response came amidst an X post from China’s US Embassy, which said, “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.” He made the remarks while appearing on Fox & Friends.
The 44-year-old Pentagon chief fired back: “We’re prepared. Those who long for peace must prepare for war.”
Hegseth stressed that military strength is key to deterring conflict, saying, “That’s why we’re rebuilding our military. If we want to deter war with the Chinese or others, we have to be strong, and that president understands peace comes through strength.”
His comments come as tensions soar between Washington and Beijing after US President Trump doubled tariffs on Chinese imports to 20% this week. China retaliated swiftly, announcing its own 10%-15% tariffs on various US agricultural products, while also restricting 25 American firms from exporting and investing in China on national security grounds.
Hegseth pointed out the rapid expansion of China’s military, “They’re rapidly increasing their defence spending, modern technology, they want to supplant the United States,” he said.
Despite the heated rhetoric, Hegseth insisted that Trump maintains a “great relationship” with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
“Where we can cooperate, we will,” he said. “The president is seeking peace and opportunities.”
Furthermore, Hegseth made it clear that his top priority is military readiness. “My job as the Secretary of Defence is to make sure we’re ready. We need the defence spending, the capabilities, the weapons, and the posture in the Indo-Pacific, which is something we’re very much focused on.”
China has announced a 7.2% rise in its defence budget as it pushes forward with modernising its military. It already boasts the world’s largest navy and is the second-highest military spender after the US.
Trade disputes are not the only source of friction between US and China. The White House has accused Beijing of failing to curb the flow of fentanyl into the US, a claim Chinese officials reject. They argue that America alone is responsible for its fentanyl crisis and suggest the issue is being used as a pretext for economic penalties.
Trump has also criticised Canada and Mexico for not doing enough to stop fentanyl trafficking, imposing 25% tariffs on all imports from both countries alongside the fresh Chinese tariffs.
Beijing accused the US of using the fentanyl crisis as a “flimsy excuse” to justify the tariff hikes and announced retaliatory measures against American goods.
“If the United States… persists in waging a tariff war, a trade war, or any other kind of war, the Chinese side will fight them to the bitter end,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said .
His remarks came after the Trump administration raised tariffs on all Chinese imports from 10% to 20%. Beijing responded with a 15% tariff on US chicken, wheat, corn, and cotton, while also imposing a 10% duty on sorghum, soybeans, pork, beef, seafood, fruits, vegetables, and dairy products, according to the State Council Tariff Commission.
Analysts suggest China’s countermeasures are designed to target industries with strong ties to the Trump administration’s voter base, leaving room for negotiations to prevent further economic damage. “China’s tariffs give it room for negotiations to potentially avoid even more damaging tariffs down the road,” said Alfredo Montufar-Helu, head of the China Center for the Conference Board.