In recent years, the ‘China threat’ theory has become a prominent theme in Western political discourse.

At the 2025 Shangri-La Dialogue, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth called on East Asian nations to increase military spending, citing an “imminent” threat from China. Many anti-China hawks perceive this threat as spanning economic, technological and security domains.

But if viewed from within China, the so-called “China threat” has little to do with China’s actual intentions or behaviour. Instead, it reflects Western — particularly US — perceptions, anxieties and political considerations.

https://johnmenadue.com/post/2025/08/is-the-china-threat-real-or-trumped-up/?utm_source=Pearls+%26+Irritations&utm_campaign=fa29882c5a-Daily&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_0c6b037ecb-fa29882c5a-745128237