The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Sunday slammed US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth for a "Cold War mentality" in response to his remarks about China at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, which included him warning that the US is ready to "fight and win" a war over Taiwan.

During his speech on Saturday, Hegseth took aim at China over a range of issues, including Taiwan and the South China Sea. "China seeks to become a hegemonic power in Asia. No doubt. It hopes to dominate and control too many parts of this vibrant and vital region," he said.

Hegseth accused China of wanting to "fundamentally alter the region's status quo" and said Beijing's "behavior towards its neighbors and the world is a wake-up call."

Regarding Taiwan, Hegseth claimed that it was "public" that Chinese President Xi Jinping had ordered his forces to be prepared for an invasion by 2027. However, that claim is based on comments from US officials and has never been confirmed by Beijing. In 2023, Xi reportedly raised the issue with President Biden, saying there were "no such plans."