U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned at a national security conference in Singapore on Saturday that China remains an active strategic threat and urged allies to spend more on their own defense.
“There’s no reason to sugarcoat it: the threat China poses is real, and it could be imminent,” Hegseth told the forum of defense leaders and diplomats at the International Institute for Strategic Studies Shangri-La Dialogue.
He added that in light of China’s continued expansions throughout the Indo-Pacific region, the U.S. and its allies must be ready with “urgency and vigilance.”
“We do not seek conflict with communist China,” the secretary said. “But we will not be pushed out of this critical region and we will not let our allies and partners be subordinated and intimidated.”
Taiwan remains a looming potential flashpoint between the U.S. and China.
Any move by China to conquer Taiwan “would result in devastating consequences for the Indo-Pacific and the world,” Hegseth told the conference. He reiterated Trump’s comment that China will not invade Taiwan on the president’s watch.
As Breitbart News reported this week, President Trump is planning to increase arms sales to Taiwan as a means of deterring Chinese aggression.
Officials said weapons sales could surpass the $18 billion sold to Taiwan during the first Trump administration. Under the Biden administration that number dropped by more than half.
China views Taiwan as its territory and has vowed to “reunify” with the democratic and separately governed island, if necessary by force. It has stepped up pressure to back its claims, including holding war games around the island.
Reuters reported that China called Hegseth’s comments “steeped in provocations and instigation.” It reported:
“Mr. Hegseth repeatedly smeared and attacked China and relentlessly played up the so-called ‘China threat,’” the Chinese embassy in Singapore wrote on its Facebook page. “As a matter of fact, the U.S. itself is the biggest ‘troublemaker’ for regional peace and stability.”
Hegseth also echoed what President Donald Trump has told European allies in both of his presidential terms: allied countries have to contribute more to their own defense and not expect the U.S. to foot most of the bill.
Both Trump and Hegseth have called that practice playing America like “a sucker.”
Hegseth said increased defense spending in the region will be mutually beneficial. “As our allies share the burden, we can increase our focus on the Indo-Pacific: our priority theater,” the secretary said.
While saying the U.S. was eager to partner with other countries in the region, the secretary clarified the goals of the Trump administration’s policies.
“We are not here to pressure other countries to embrace and adopt our politics or ideology; we are not here to preach to you about climate change or cultural issues; [and] we are not here to impose our will on you. We are all sovereign nations,” Hegseth explained. “On this sure foundation of mutual interests and common sense, we will build and strengthen our defense partnerships to preserve peace and increase prosperity.”
