"The US side must establish a correct understanding of China, cease unwarranted attacks and smear campaigns against China," foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun told a regular briefing.

Rubio, who is expected to secure confirmation easily, described China on Wednesday as "the most potent and dangerous near-peer adversary this nation has ever faced" and warned of drastic impacts if the United States does not act.

He also vowed to ramp up defences of Taiwan, the self-governing democratic island claimed by Beijing, to prevent a "cataclysmic military intervention".

On Thursday Beijing, which is nervously eyeing massive tariffs vowed by incoming President Trump, said it "always approached and handled Sino-US relations based on the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation".