Key points
- United States “here to stay” in Indo-Pacific region: Hegseth
- US “reorienting towards deterring aggression by communist China”: Hegseth
- On its military relations with US, China says it remains open to communication at all levels
ISLAMABAD: The United States (US) Secretary of Defence, Pete Hegseth, has called on Asian countries to boost their military spending to increase regional deterrence against China, which was “rehearsing for the real deal” when it comes to taking over Taiwan, according to the Guardian.
Pete Hegseth, addressing the Shangri-la Dialogue in Singapore on Saturday, reiterated pledges to increase the US presence in the Indo-Pacific and outlined a range of new joint projects, including expanding access to military ship and plane repair, including in Australia. “US allies in the Indo-Pacific can and should upgrade their own defences,” Hegseth said.
US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth warned that China was “credibly preparing” to use military force to upend the balance of power in Asia, vowing the US was “here to stay” in the Indo-Pacific region, according to AFP. “The threat China poses is real and it could be imminent,” Hegseth said at the Shangri-La Dialogue attended by defence officials from around the world.
Beijing is “credibly preparing to potentially use military force to alter the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific”, he added.
Hegseth warned the Chinese military was building the capabilities to invade Taiwan and “rehearsing for the real deal”.
The US was “reorienting towards deterring aggression by communist China”, Hegseth said, calling on US allies and partners in Asia to swiftly upgrade their defences in the face of mounting threats.
“Wake-up call”
Hegseth described China’s conduct as a “wake-up call”, accusing Beijing of endangering lives with cyber-attacks, harassing its neighbours and “illegally seizing and militarising lands” in the South China Sea, according to AFP.
China at the summit
Beijing has dispatched a delegation from the People’s Liberation Army National Defence University to the summit. China’s position at this year’s Shangri-La Dialogue is expected to be closely followed, with many viewing China as a stabilising force in a volatile world landscape, Xinhua reported.
“Priority theatre”
Reassuring US allies on Saturday, Hegseth said the Indo-Pacific was “America’s priority theatre”, pledging to ensure “China cannot dominate us — or our allies and partners”, according to AFP.
He said the United States had stepped up cooperation with allies including the Philippines and Japan, and reiterated Trump’s vow that “China will not invade (Taiwan) on his watch”.
But he called on US partners in the region to ramp up spending on their militaries and “quickly upgrade their own defences”.
“Asian allies should look to countries in Europe for a newfound example,” Hegseth said, citing pledges by NATO members including Germany to move toward Trump’s spending target of five per cent of GDP.
“Deterrence doesn’t come on the cheap.”
“Open to communication”
According to Xinhua, on Thursday, Chinese defence ministry spokesperson Zhang Xiaogang said that China has consistently engaged in various constructive dialogue platforms to elaborate on its visions and initiatives, communicate with all parties, enhance mutual trust, dispel misgivings and deepen cooperation.
Regarding China-US interactions, Zhang said China’s values are expected to be a central topic throughout the summit. On this, Zhang said China puts emphasis on its military relations with the United States and remains open to communication at all levels.
China’s active role in global security governance has been increasingly acknowledged. In 2022, China introduced the Global Security Initiative (GSI). As of the end of 2024, with the support of 119 countries and international and regional organisations, the initiative has been written into 123 bilateral and multilateral cooperation documents.
