The United States Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, stated that the country is prepared for a possible war with China. This assertion comes after China also expressed its willingness to confront an armed conflict with North America.
Hegseth emphasized the importance of staying strong to deter war with China and other potential adversaries. Despite this, he highlighted that President Donald Trump has a good relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping and asserted that they do not seek military confrontation, although his role as Secretary of Defense is to ensure the country's preparedness for any eventuality.
In an interview on the ‘Fox & Friends’ program on Fox News, Hegseth mentioned: "Those who long for peace prepare for war. That’s why we are rebuilding our Army." He emphasized that the focus on defense spending, capabilities, weapons, and posture in the Indo-Pacific is crucial on the nation's agenda.
The Secretary of Defense's statements came in response to a publication from the Chinese embassy in the U.S., which claimed China's willingness to wage war of any kind if provoked. This arose after tariffs imposed by President Trump on China, as well as on Mexico and Canada.
Hegseth mentioned on Fox News that the combative stance of the United States is due to the international context of powerful countries with different ideologies increasing their investments in defense and modern technology in order to compete with the United States.
