Beijing, China - Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun on Thursday denounced "hegemonic logic and acts of bullying" in thinly-veiled comments directed at the US at a security summit in Beijing.

Dong's comments come as about 1,800 representatives from at least 100 countries gather in Beijing for the Xiangshan Forum.

Addressing attendees at the opening ceremony on Thursday, Dong warned of the "new threats and challenges" that now face world peace.

"While the themes of the times – peace and development – remain unchanged, the clouds of a Cold War mentality, hegemonism and protectionism have not lifted," Dong said.

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"Historical memory must serve as a constant warning to recognize and oppose hegemonic logic and acts of bullying that are disguised in a new form."

The comments were a not-so-subtle reference to the US, which has become increasingly unpredictable and increasingly aggressive under President Donald Trump's administration.

"An obsession with absolute superiority in military strength and a 'might is right' approach will lead to a divided world defined by the rule of the jungle and disorder," Dong warned.

The remarks came two weeks after a grand military parade in Tiananmen Square commemorated 80 years since the end of World War II in the Pacific.

With both Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un looking on, the parade saw China unveil a host of new weapons, including advanced intercontinental ballistic missiles, drones and laser technology.

Trump heaped praise on the parade and declared it "very, very impressive."

Dong also spoke out about China's maritime interests and hit out at several countries that it has been at odds with over territory in the South China Sea.

Recent months and years have seen a series of increasingly-violent confrontations between China and the Philippines – a close US ally – in the crucial waterway.

"The so-called freedom of navigation advocated by certain countries outside the region and the so-called international arbitration advocated by certain claimants blatantly challenge the fundamental norms of international relations," Dong said.

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He went on to insist that China will fight to safeguard its "territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests."

Dong had spoken with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth last week and warned that any attempts to contain, deter, or interfere with China "will be futile."

In response, Hegseth tried to turn down the temperature and said that they'd had a "candid and constructive" conversation.