U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth spoke with China’s Minister of National Defense Admiral Dong Jun on Monday, according to a readout provided by Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell.
During the call, Secretary Hegseth clarified that the United States does not seek conflict with China and is not pursuing regime change or attempting to strangle the People’s Republic of China.
Hegseth also emphasized that the U.S. has vital interests in the Asia-Pacific region, which he described as the priority theater, and stated that the United States will resolutely protect those interests.
The Pentagon described the exchange between the two defense leaders as candid and constructive. Both officials agreed to continue discussions in the future.
