China has claimed sovereignty over most of the South China Sea, overlapping the territorial claims of other regional countries—including the Philippines, a mutual defense treaty ally of the United States—and often leading to standoffs and clashes between their maritime forces.

China criticized the United States on Sunday for having a "Cold War mentality" after Pete Hegseth appeared to warn that the U.S. is prepared to go to war to prevent China from dominating the Indo-Pacific.

China issued a blistering response after U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said "the threat China poses is real."