US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a stark warning at a major international security forum on Saturday, calling China's military threat "real and imminent" while urging Indo-Pacific nations to step up their own defense efforts against mounting pressure from Beijing. Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Hegseth accused China of aggressively preparing to invade Taiwan and using its growing influence in regions as far-flung as Latin America and the South China Sea to challenge global stability. "China's army is rehearsing for the real deal," Hegseth said. "We are not going to sugarcoat it — the threat China poses is real. And it could be imminent." The remarks drew a sharp rebuke from China's delegation. Rear Adm. Hu Gangfeng dismissed the comments as "groundless accusations," claiming they aimed to "provoke trouble, incite division, and stir up confrontation" in the Asia-Pacific region. Hegseth stressed that the United States remains committed to defending Taiwan, pointing to Beijing's recent military exercises that simulate blockades around the island. He described the Chinese military buildup as "not just aspirational" but as clear evidence of daily training for invasion. He also flagged China's assertive moves in the South China Sea and warned of its ambitions over the Panama Canal and strategic infrastructure in Latin America. In response, the U.S. will continue strengthening its deterrence in the region — a goal pursued by previous administrations but often undermined by resource shifts to crises in the Middle East and Europe. The Trump administration recently diverted a Patriot missile battalion from the Indo-Pacific to the Middle East and redeployed Coast Guard assets to the U.S.-Mexico border. Pressed on this contradiction, Hegseth defended the decisions as necessary in the face of global threats but reiterated that the Indo-Pacific remains the strategic priority. Hegseth called on regional allies to match European defense spending goals of at least 5% of GDP, arguing that collective action was key to deterring Chinese aggression. "We must all do our part," he said. "A strong, resolute and capable network of allies and partners is our key strategic advantage." Australia's Defense Minister Richard Marles echoed that sentiment, saying, "There is no effective balance of power in this region absent the United States, but we cannot leave it to the United States alone." However, U.S. trade policy under Trump — including steep tariffs on Asia-Pacific nations — drew criticism. Marles noted the "shock and disruption" of those tariffs, while European Union diplomat Kaja Kallas pushed back on Hegseth's call for Europe to focus solely on its region. Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth, attending the conference, clarified that the U.S. was not forcing nations to choose between Washington and Beijing, a point Hegseth himself blurred by warning that economic dependence on China "deepens their malign influence." Beijing sent a lower-level delegation to this year's summit, a symbolic snub linked to rising tensions over U.S. tariffs. In contrast, Hegseth said the U.S. was expanding its diplomatic and defense outreach to both traditional and non-traditional allies. "We're opening our arms to countries across the spectrum," he said, emphasizing that U.S. support would not hinge on alignment over cultural or climate issues. — Agencies
