China has deplored and firmly opposed US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for vilifying the country as a threat and instigating confrontations, saying that the United States is the primary factor undermining peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific.

In his speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue on Saturday, Hegseth repeatedly warned of the so-called "threat" China poses and made negative comments on Taiwan, the South China Sea, and so on.

"The remarks were filled with provocations and intended to sow division. China deplores and firmly opposes them and has protested strongly to the US," a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Saturday.

"Hegseth deliberately ignored the call for peace and development by countries in the region, and instead touted the Cold War mentality for bloc confrontation, vilified China with defamatory allegations, and falsely called China a 'threat'," according to the spokesperson.

"No country in the world deserves to be called a hegemonic power other than the US itself, which is also the primary factor undermining the peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific," the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson warned that the US "are turning the region into a powder keg and making countries in the region deeply concerned, as it has deployed offensive weaponry in the South China Sea and kept stoking flames and creating tensions in the Asia-Pacific to perpetuate its hegemony and advance the so-called "Indo-Pacific strategy".

On the Taiwan question, the spokesperson reiterated that it is entirely China's internal affair and no country is in a position to interfere.

"The US should never imagine it could use the Taiwan question as leverage against China and must never play with fire on this question," the spokesperson said.

"China urges the US to fully abide by the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiques, and stop supporting and emboldening the 'Taiwan independence' separatist forces," the spokesperson added.

On the South China Sea, the spokesperson emphasized that there has never been any problem with regard to freedom of navigation and overflight there.

"It is the US that is the primary factor that is hurting the peace and stability in the South China Sea," according to the statement.

The spokesperson noted that China has always been committed to working with countries concerned to properly handle differences through dialogue and consultation, while safeguarding its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in accordance with laws and regulations.

"China urges the US to fully respect the efforts of countries in the region to maintain peace and stability, stop deliberately destroying the peaceful and stable environment cherished by the region, and stop inciting conflict and confrontation and escalating tensions in the region."