Hegseth met with China's Defense Minister Dong Jun on the sidelines of a regional summit in Malaysia, a day after leaders Xi Jinping and Donald Trump held talks in South Korea.

"I just spoke to President Trump, and we agree -- the relationship between the United States and China has never been better," Hegseth said in a post on X, adding that he had spoken with Dong again since their face-to-face meeting.

"The Admiral and I agree that peace, stability, and good relations are the best path for our two great and strong countries," he said, touting a path of "strength, mutual respect, and positive relations."

The Pentagon chief said Dong and he "also agreed that we should set up military-to-military channels to deconflict and deescalate any problems that arise."

Such channels have existed for years but at times fallen out of use.

"We have more meetings on that coming soon," Hegseth said without elaborating.

There was no immediate comment from Beijing.

According to a Chinese defense ministry readout of their meeting in Malaysia, Dong had told Hegseth the countries should "strengthen policy-level dialogue to enhance trust and dispel uncertainty", and build a bilateral military relationship "characterised by equality, respect, peaceful coexistence and stable positive momentum."

Hegseth warned earlier this year that China was "credibly preparing" to use military force to upend the balance of power in Asia, remarks that drew a sharp rebuke from Beijing.

China claims almost all of the South China Sea, despite overlapping claims with its neighbors -- including close allies of Washington.

Tensions have also flared occasionally around Taiwan, which Beijing insists is part of its territory and opposes any official exchanges with it.

A 2022 visit to Taiwan by then US House speaker Nancy Pelosi prompted China to launch military drills around the self-ruled island.

bur-ami/mtp

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