U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth recently spoke by phone with China’s Minister of National Defense, Admiral Dong Jun, to stress that Washington does not seek conflict with Beijing. The call came amid increasingly strained relations, with the United States labeling China its primary geopolitical rival. Hegseth made clear that the United States is not pursuing confrontation, regime change, or the “strangulation” of China, while also affirming that Washington has vital interests in the Asia‑Pacific region that it will protect resolutely. The Pentagon described the exchange as “candid.”
According to China’s Xinhua news agency, Hegseth initiated the conversation, and Admiral Dong urged continued communication and an open attitude to build stable, positive military ties based on mutual respect. Dong added that China seeks peace and stability in the South China Sea and opposes infringement and provocation by non‑regional countries.
In parallel, the United States and China extended a 90‑day tariff truce, postponing planned increases until November 10. At the same time, several media reports claim the United States is urging the European Union to impose steep tariffs—potentially up to 100%—on imports from China and India because of their ties to Russia and the Ukraine conflict. Both China and India have pushed back against the pressure: Chinese officials warned that “tariff wars have no winners,” and India called the proposed U.S. tariffs “unfair, unjustified, and unreasonable.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin also cautioned the West against adopting a “colonial tone” toward Beijing and New Delhi, suggesting such actions aim to slow their economic rise. These developments underscore the complex, evolving dynamics among major world powers, where trade and geopolitical tensions continue to shape international relations. The interactions among the United States, China and other nations will be closely watched for their potential impact on global stability and economic cooperation.
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