US defense secretary: China’s Taiwan ambitions threaten global stability

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on May 31 that China’s escalating military ambitions toward Taiwan pose an imminent threat to global stability

He called on America’s Asia-Pacific allies to boost defense cooperation and spending to counter Beijing’s growing assertiveness, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media. 

“There is no reason to sugarcoat it. The threat China poses is real. And it could be imminent,” Hegseth said, addressing Asia’s top security summit.

According to Hegseth, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is actively preparing to use force to change the Indo-Pacific’s balance of power. He noted that Chinese President Xi Jinping has instructed the PLA to be ready to invade Taiwan by 2027.

“Beijing is credibly preparing potentially to use military force to alter the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific,” he said. “The PLA is building the military needed to do it, training for it every day and rehearsing for the real deal.” Hegseth emphasized that Taiwan—a democratic island of 23 million people—is under increasing threat, despite never having been ruled by the Chinese Communist Party. He characterized the PLA’s activities as part of a broader regional strategy aimed at dominance. China swiftly condemned Hegseth’s remarks.

In a statement, the Chinese Foreign Ministry accused him of having “vilified” the country and dismissed the accusations as “defamatory allegations.” It added that his words were “filled with provocations and intended to sow division,” claiming the US had ignored regional nations’ appeals for diplomacy and peace. In his speech, Hegseth reiterated President Donald Trump’s commitment to defending Taiwan, saying the US would not let the island fall.

He called on regional allies to unite against China's increasing assertiveness, particularly in disputed areas such as the South China Sea. “China’s behavior towards its neighbors and the world is a wake-up call. And an urgent one,” he said. Hegseth also called on Asian allies to become “force multipliers” in efforts to deter Beijing.

“We ask – and indeed, we insist – that our allies and partners do their part on defense,” he said. He pointed to NATO members that have ramped up defense spending to 5 per cent of GDP, arguing that Asian countries should follow suit. “So it doesn’t make sense for countries in Europe to do that while key allies in Asia spend less on defense in the face of an even more formidable threat, not to mention North Korea,” he added.

While insisting that the US does not seek conflict with China, Hegseth reaffirmed that Washington would not back down. “We will not be pushed out of this critical region, and we will not let our allies be subordinated and intimidated,” he said. 

Hegseth’s comments come amid escalating tensions between the two powers, compounded by a fierce trade dispute that has seen tariffs on both sides soar above 100 per cent. Historically, the Shangri-La Dialogue has offered a rare platform for US-China defense talks. However, no high-level bilateral meeting is expected this year. China has opted to send only a lower-level delegation from its National Defense University instead of its defense minister—who has addressed the summit in past years. 

The event’s organizers, the International Institute for Strategic Studies, omitted the traditional Chinese address from this year’s agenda. At a recent press conference, China’s Defense Ministry avoided questions about the defense minister’s absence but said the country remained “open to communication at all levels between the two sides.”

By Naila Huseynova