Mutual respect and peaceful coexistence are the correct way for China and the United States to manage bilateral relations, the Chinese Ministry of National Defense said on January 29. The remarks came in response to the release of the U.S. 2026 National Defense Strategy, which emphasizes deterrence against China in the Asia-Pacific region while also calling for military-to-military engagement.

Defense Ministry spokesperson Jiang Bin said any attempt to contain or suppress China is doomed to fail. He added that China is willing to work with the United States to promote stable bilateral ties, while firmly safeguarding its sovereignty, security and development interests.