US Prepared to Go to War with China, Pentagon Says, Amid Escalating Trade Tensions
The US Department of Defense has announced that the United States is prepared to go to war with China if necessary, in response to China’s threat of retaliatory tariffs, which marks a further escalation in the ongoing trade war between the world’s two largest economies.
US Defense Minister Pete Hegseth made the statement in an interview with Fox News, reacting to the Chinese embassy in the US, which had declared that China is prepared to “engage in any kind of war” if necessary.
“We are ready” Hegseth said, adding, “Whoever seeks peace must prepare for war.”
This is the reason why the US is rebuilding its military and restoring the “deterrence in the ethos of the warrior” he said.
“We live in a dangerous world with powerful, rising nations that have very different ideologies. They are rapidly increasing their defense spending, modernizing their technology and want to displace the United States” the minister said.
Hegseth emphasized that the maintenance of military strength is the key to conflict prevention. “If we want to prevent a war with the Chinese or others, we must be strong” he said.
The Pentagon chief also stated that US President Donald Trump has a “great relationship” with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping and that a cooperation and partnership are sought where possible. However, Hegseth emphasized that his task as Defense Minister is to ensure the readiness for a possible confrontation.
China had warned on Tuesday evening that it would respond if the US initiated a trade or tariff war, after Trump decided to double the tariffs on Chinese imports from 10 to 20 percent. These tariffs come in addition to the tariffs of up to 25 percent that the Trump administration had imposed on US imports from China worth around $370 billion in 2018 and 2019.
“If the US wants war, whether it’s a tariff war, a trade war, or any other kind of war, we are prepared to fight to the end” said the spokesperson of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Lin Jian, in a statement that was also picked up by the Chinese embassy.
As a swift response to Trump’s measures, Beijing announced tariff increases of 10 to 15 percent on a range of US agricultural and food products. Additionally, the government of the People’s Republic has imposed export and investment restrictions on 25 US companies, citing national security concerns.
Beijing has also filed a complaint with the World Trade Organization, claiming that the US tariffs violate international trade rules and has urged Washington to resolve the dispute through dialogue.
Trade tensions between the US and China flared up in 2018 during Trump’s first term in office, when he imposed tariffs on Chinese goods under the pretext of unfair trade practices and intellectual property theft. This step triggered an escalation that led to a disruption of global markets and supply chains.