China’s government has accused Pete Hegseth of trying to “sow division” in the Asia Pacific region over his speech at a Singapore defence conference where he warned China was a potentially “imminent” threat.
On Sunday, China’s ministry of foreign affairs condemned his words, which it said were “filled with provocations and intended to sow division”.
China’s ruling Communist party (CCP) claims Taiwan is a province of China, illegally run by separatists, and has vowed to annex it.
Speaking to reporters on Sunday morning, Australia’s defence minister, Richard Marles, rejected the premise of China’s criticism of Hegseth.
China claims much of the South China Sea, where there are overlapping claims of sovereignty among several countries.
After Pete Hegseth warned that China was a potentially “imminent” threat during a defense conference in Singapore, the Chinese government accused him of attempting to “sow division” in the Asia-Pacific region.
China is “credibly preparing to potentially use military force to alter the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific,” according to Hegseth, who said on Saturday that China was practicing for “the real deal” of conquering Taiwan.
“It’s not necessary to sugarcoat it. In a keynote speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue defense forum, the US defense secretary urged Asian nations to boost defense spending, stating that “China poses a real threat that could be imminent.”.
His remarks were deemed “full of provocations and intended to sow division” by China’s foreign affairs ministry on Sunday.
It claimed that Hegseth had purposefully disregarded the region’s countries’ calls for peace and development, promoting the cold war mindset for bloc conflict, disparaging China with false accusations, and falsely labeling it a “threat.”.
The comments were meant to cause division and were full of provocations. China has strongly protested to the United States and regrets and opposes them. “”.
Additionally, the statement rebutted Hegseth’s assertion that China was attempting to establish itself as a “hegemonic power” in the area.
The United States is the main factor threatening peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region, and no other nation in the world is deserving of the title of hegemonic power, according to the statement.
With regard to what it refers to as “the Taiwan question,” the ministry charged Hegseth with “playing with fire.”. The ruling Communist Party (CCP) in China has vowed to annex Taiwan, claiming it is a Chinese province that is unlawfully governed by separatists. The majority of Taiwanese citizens and the democratically elected government oppose the idea of CCP control.
Australia’s defense minister, Richard Marles, denied the basis of China’s criticism of Hegseth in an interview with reporters on Sunday morning.
He claimed that China had “the single biggest increase in military capability and buildup in a conventional sense by any country since the end of the second world war.”.
That is one of the main characteristics of the intricate strategic environment that we all encounter both locally and globally. “”.
According to Marles, Australia has collaborated “for a long time to uphold the global rules-based order,” including freedom of navigation operations to assert the UN convention on the law of the sea, with regional partners such as the US and the Philippines.
That convention is not signed by the United States.
The Shangri-la Dialogue is an annual gathering that brings together dozens of world leaders, including defense ministers and military chiefs, for three days of speeches and panel discussions. The majority of important interactions, however, take place behind closed doors, with representatives meeting privately. Despite their frequent barbs, the US and China have occasionally had important meetings in recent years, such as last year with Dong Jun, China’s defense minister, and Lloyd Austin, Hegseth’s predecessor.
However, China only sent a small delegation this year, headed by Rear Adm Hu Gangfeng, the vice-president of the national defense university of the People’s Liberation Army.
Speaking to a panel on Saturday afternoon that included the head of the British military, Hu claimed that speakers had tried to use criticisms of China to “provoke, split, and instigate confrontations in the region.”.
He claimed that although the maritime situation in the area was “generally stable,” there were “severe challenges.” He also accused unnamed nations of bolstering “Taiwan independence separatist forces,” expanding their military presences, and violating the territorial sovereignty of others “in the name of so-called freedom of navigation.”.
A number of nations have overlapping claims to sovereignty in the South China Sea, which is largely claimed by China. The Hague ruled that its claims were illegal, but it has rejected that decision.
Chan Chun Sing, Singapore’s defense minister, told a panel later on Sunday that it was important for the world and China to have a proper understanding of one another. Speaking of China’s absence, Chan advised Beijing to convey its stance by taking advantage of “every opportunity” at its disposal.
We must all reach out to China in various forums, whether or not China participates in the [dialogue], in order to avoid a situation where either side misunderstands, miscalculates, or misrepresents the other’s position. That can be dangerous. “.”.
