Washington DC - Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth reportedly told his Chinese counterpart Dong Jun that President Donald Trump's administration "does not seek conflict" with China.

Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said that Hegseth held a "candid and constructive" call with Dong on Tuesday in which he stressed that the US would protect its various interests in the Asia-Pacific.

"On September 9, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth spoke with China’s Minister of National Defense, Admiral Dong Jun," Parnell said in a readout published by the US Embassy in Singapore.

"Secretary Hegseth made clear that the United States does not seek conflict with China nor is it pursuing regime change or strangulation of the PRC," he added.

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"At the same time, however, he forthrightly relayed that the U.S. has vital interests in the Asia-Pacific, the priority theater, and will resolutely protect those interests."

The statement comes a day after Chinese state broadcaster CCTV revealed that Dong had used the meeting to warn Hegseth that attempts to contain China are "futile."

"Containing, deterring, or interfering with China will be futile," Dong reportedly said. "Any attempt or interference to use force to support independence or use Taiwan to contain China will be thwarted."

"We must... build an equal, respectful, peacefully coexistent, stable and positive military-to-military relationship. We must respect each other's core interests."

The talks came a week after Beijing hosted Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un for a massive military parade that marked 80 years since the end of World War 2.