SpaceWar.com reports: “Beijing said on Thursday attempts to contain it are ‘doomed to fail’, days after the US defence department announced it would prioritise curbing China this year while maintaining respectful ties.

‘Facts have proven that any attempt to contain or block China is doomed to fail,’ defence ministry spokesman Jiang Bin told a news briefing.

But he added that Beijing was ‘willing to work with the US side’ to promote ties, with President Donald Trump expected to visit China in April for talks with his counterpart Xi Jinping.

The United States’ 2026 National Defense Strategy (NDS), released last week, said Washington would ‘deter China in the Indo-Pacific through strength, not confrontation’.

It was a significant departure from past Pentagon policy as it took a softer tone on traditional foes China and Russia…”