Many in Asia fear potential instability if China invades Taiwan, a self-governing island claimed by Beijing.
China “is building the military needed to do it, training for it, every day and rehearsing for the real deal”, Hegseth said.
The threat China poses is real.
The US does not seek war or conflict with China, Hegseth added.
But he stressed “deterrence does not come cheap” and urged Asian countries to ramp up their defence spending, pointing to Europe as an example.
6 hours prior.
Wong, Tessa.
Thomasa Wong, BBC News.
from Singapore’s Shangri-La Dialogue, reporting.
While urging Asian nations to increase defense spending and cooperate with the US to prevent war, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has warned that China poses an “imminent” threat to Taiwan.
At a high-level Asian defense summit, Hegseth stated that although the US does not “seek to dominate or strangle China,” it would not be forced out of Asia or permit its allies to be intimidated.
China has responded by calling the United States the “biggest troublemaker” for regional peace.
Many Asians are concerned about possible instability in the event that China invades Taiwan, an autonomous island that Beijing claims. The use of force has not been ruled out by China.
China “hopes to dominate and control too many parts” of Asia, according to Hegseth, who made this claim while speaking at the Shangri-la Dialogue in Singapore. Due to conflicting territorial claims in the South China Sea, China has had conflicts with a number of its neighbors.
Using the 2027 deadline that President Xi Jinping allegedly set for China’s military to be able to invade Taiwan, he claimed Beijing was “credibly preparing to potentially use military force to alter the balance of power” in Asia.
Beijing has never affirmed the date that US generals and officials have been proposing for years.
China “is building the military needed to do it, training for it, every day, and rehearsing for the real deal,” according to Hegseth.
“Let me be clear: the Indo-Pacific region and the entire world would suffer greatly if Communist China attempted to annex Taiwan by force. It is not necessary to sugarcoat it. China is a genuine threat. Additionally, it might happen soon. Although we hope not, it is possible. “..”.
According to Hegseth, the United States does not want war or confrontation with China.
“We don’t aim to enclose or provoke China, or to control or suffocate it. We will not be forced to leave this crucial area, he stated, adding, “but we must make sure that China cannot control us or our allies and partners. We do not seek regime change.”.
“Steeped in provocations and instigation,” the Chinese embassy in Singapore responded on Facebook, claiming that Hegseth had “repeatedly smeared and attacked China and relentlessly played up the so-called ‘China threat'” in the speech.
It went on to say, “The US itself is the biggest ‘troublemaker’ for regional peace and stability.”. The US “deploying offensive weapons” in the South China Sea and conducting reconnaissance of what the embassy referred to as “Chinese islands and reefs” were two examples it gave.
According to the embassy, “‘uncertainty’ is what the United States now offers the world the most.”. “The nation says it wants to protect peace, not instigate wars. We’ve heard it. Let’s see what actions it takes. “.”.
As China purposefully reduced its presence at the dialogue, it delivered forceful rhetoric.
As the superpowers vie for influence, the Shangri-la Dialogue has long been a forum for the US and China to pitch their ideas to Asian nations.
China sent a significantly lower-level team and canceled its scheduled speech on Sunday, while the US sent one of its largest delegations ever this year. This has not been explained.
“Deterrence is expensive.”.
In order to avert conflict, Hegseth stated that the United States would “continue to wrap our arms around our friends and find new ways to work together” with allies in order to create “a strong shield of deterrence.”.
He emphasized, however, that “deterrence does not come cheap” and called on Asian nations to increase their defense budgets, citing Europe as an example.
Hegseth referred to US President Donald Trump’s “tough love, but love nonetheless” strategy as his demand that NATO members increase their defense spending by at least 5% of their own GDPs. Some nations, like Estonia, have acted swiftly to comply, while others, like Germany, have indicated that they are willing to do so.
Regarding China, he asked, “How can it make sense for countries in Europe to do that while key allies and partners in Asia spend less in the face of a more formidable threat?” He also mentioned North Korea as a threat.
“Europe is taking the initiative. He urged that US allies in the Indo-Pacific region be “partners, not dependents” on the US and that they “can, and should, follow by swiftly upgrading their own defenses.”.
He praised US military equipment and mentioned a new Indo-Pacific alliance for the resilience of the defense industry. Establishing a radar repair facility in Australia for US maritime patrol aircraft acquired by allies and supporting the local manufacture of unmanned drones are its initial initiatives.
Additionally, he cautioned Asian nations against pursuing economic exchanges with China, claiming that Beijing would use them as “leverage” to increase its “malign influence” and impede US defense policy decisions.
A day prior to Hegseth’s speech, French President Emmanuel Macron had made a pitch at the same dialogue for Europe to also be Asia’s ally.
In response to a question concerning Macron’s plan, he stated that the United States “would much prefer that the overwhelming balance of European investment be on that continent” in order to take advantage of its “comparative advantage” in the Indo-Pacific.
In response, China criticized the US strategy toward Europe. According to the statement, “What will be the US commitment to others if the US commitment to its European allies is to urge the latter to spend more for self-defence?”.
“The US continues to raise its already enormous defense budget. It went on to ask, “Will the increased amount come from tariffs it imposes on other countries?” Trump’s global tariffs have caused a stir in the global economy and alarmed US allies.
Vision of “common sense”.
Additionally, Hegseth promoted Trump’s “common sense” approach to international relations, according to which “America does not have or seek permanent enemies.”.
The late Singaporean statesman Lee Kuan Yew, renowned for his realistic and practical approach to international affairs, was likened to the US president by him.
“The moralistic and dogmatic approach to foreign policy of the past is not appealing to the United States. We are not here to force other nations to accept and implement our beliefs or policies. We are not here to lecture you about cultural issues or climate change. “We’re not here to force our will on you,” he declared.
Senator Tammy Duckworth of the Democratic Party, a member of the US delegation in Singapore, criticized the strategy.
The Senate foreign relations committee member told reporters during the discussion that Hegseth and Trump’s vision was “inconsistent with the values on which our nation was founded.”.
People are aware of our values; we support international law and order as well as fundamental human rights. And we’re going to keep advocating for that. It would be un-American otherwise, so I know that we will work to uphold that in the Senate,” she said.
Additionally, Duckworth criticized Hegseth’s general, “patronising” message to regional allies.
We don’t need that kind of language, according to his theory that we should encircle you. America is not asking people to choose between the PRC (People’s Republic of China) and us; instead, we must stand with our allies, cooperate, and convey this message. “,”.
Republican representatives Brian Mast and John Moolenaar, who were also part of the delegation, told the BBC that from their meetings with officials, many Asian nations welcomed the speech, which sent a clear message of China’s threat.
Moolenaar, who chairs a House committee on US-China competition, stated, “The message I’ve heard is that people want to see freedom of navigation and respect for neighbors, but feel intimidated by some of the aggressive actions that China has displayed.”.
The United States’ presence is therefore encouraged and welcomed. And the advice was to stay present. “.”.
The US’s commitment to the status quo, according to Ian Chong, a non-resident scholar with Carnegie China, would reassure Asian governments.
Even though it has been a “perennial issue” between the US and Asian allies like Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan for decades, Hegseth said that his call for increased defense spending was “pretty standard for the US these days” and that “the Trump administration is more insistent and demands more.”.
Dr. Chong stated, “I suppose Asian governments will pay attention, but it’s a different matter entirely how much they will comply.”.
