BEIJING (Kyodo) -- China reacted sharply on Monday to an agreement between the U.S. and Japanese defense chiefs the previous day to strengthen deterrence under their security alliance, saying their bilateral cooperation "should not target third countries."

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun criticized Washington for using "the so-called China threat as an excuse" to provoke regional confrontation and inciting other countries to act as its "cannon fodder" to "maintain hegemony."

"Regional countries should be vigilant and take strict precautions against this," Guo told a press conference.

His remarks came as U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and his Japanese counterpart, Gen Nakatani, agreed Sunday in Tokyo to accelerate efforts to strengthen the alliance's deterrence. The Pentagon chief called Japan an "indispensable partner" in deterring China's growing assertiveness in the region.