China accuses US of using Shangri-La dialogue to 'create disputes'

China's defense ministry on Sunday condemned the United States for using the Shangri-La dialogue to "create disputes, sow discord, provoke confrontation and seek selfish interests" after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called China a threat in the Indo-Pacific.

"We express our strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to this," defense ministry spokesperson Zhang Xiaogang said in a statement, adding that the U.S. will backfire on itself if it insists on going its own way.