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

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has warned of China posing an "imminent" threat to Taiwan, while urging Asian countries to boost defence spending and work with the US to deter war.

The assessment is a major departure for the U.S. government, and it came with a nudge that nations must choose between Washington and Beijing.