China said on Thursday that any attempts to contain or curb it are “doomed to fail,” days after the U.S. Defense Department said deterring China would be its top priority this year while maintaining friendly bilateral relations.

Chinese Defence Ministry spokesperson Jiang Bin told a news conference that “facts have proven that any attempt to contain or suppress China is bound to fail.”

He added that Beijing is “ready to work with the U.S. side” to strengthen bilateral ties, as U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to visit China in April for talks with President Xi Jinping.

The U.S. National Defense Strategy for 2026, released last week, said Washington would “deter China in the Indo-Pacific through strength, not confrontation.”