US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has warned that China poses an "imminent" threat to Taiwan, urging Asian nations to increase their defence spending and collaborate with the United States to prevent conflict.
Speaking at the Shangri-la Dialogue—a prominent annual defence summit in Singapore attended by top Asian military officials—Hegseth insisted that while the US does not "seek to dominate or strangle China," it would not retreat from Asia nor permit intimidation of its regional allies.
The potential for instability if China invades Taiwan—a self-governing island claimed by Beijing, which has not ruled out using force—remains a significant concern across Asia. China has yet to respond to Hegseth's latest remarks.
In his speech, Hegseth described China as aspiring to become a "hegemonic power" aiming to "dominate and control too many parts" of Asia. He highlighted Beijing's ongoing territorial disputes in the South China Sea and stated that China was "credibly preparing to potentially use military force to alter the balance of power" in the region.
Referencing an alleged 2027 timeline reportedly set by President Xi Jinping for China's military to be ready for a potential Taiwan invasion—a date cited by US officials but never confirmed by Beijing—Hegseth added that China "is building the military needed to do it, training for it, every day and rehearsing for the real deal."
"Let me be clear: any attempt by Communist China to conquer Taiwan by force would result in devastating consequences for the Indo-Pacific and the world," Hegseth stated. "There's no reason to sugarcoat it. The threat China poses is real. And it could be imminent. We hope not but certainly could be."
Traditionally, the Shangri-la Dialogue serves as a key venue for the US and China to present their positions to Asian nations while competing for influence. This year, while the US sent one of its largest delegations ever, China opted for a notably low-level delegation and cancelled its planned speech on Sunday without offering any explanation.
