Some Chinese state media criticised Washington’s new Asia-focused defence policy at the weekend, but political analysts in China said it was unclear yet whether this reflects a hardline response from Beijing to the strategy announced last week by Barack Obama.

In a rare Pentagon press conference, Mr Obama unveiled plans for a “smaller and leaner” military focused on potential threats from China and Iran, with reduced presence in Europe. Beijing has yet to issue any official reaction to the plan, but state media has carried sharply critical commentary, especially in overseas editions.

“Anyone with an inkling of strategy can easily see who the region’s security protector is, who the troublemaker is,” said a commentary in People’s Daily Overseas, a low circulation version of the Communist Party’s official newspaper aimed at overseas Chinese.