China defence minister slams 'hegemonic logic' at Beijing forumBy Ludovic EHRETBeijing (AFP) Sept 18, 2025Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun denounced "hegemonic logic and acts of bullying" during remarks Thursday at a Beijing forum that were full of thinly veiled references to the United States. The three-day event comes as China presents itself as a mediator of fraught global issues including ongoing wars in Ukraine and Gaza. Several countries are currently ensnared in longstanding disputes with Beijing over sovereignty in the contested South China Sea. The defence forum comes with anticipation growing over a potential meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump. Dong held a video call this week with US counterpart Pete Hegseth, which covered various thorny topics including the South China Sea and Taiwan.