Chinese invasion of Taiwan is ‘imminent,' warns US
A Chinese invasion of Taiwan 'could be imminent' Pete Hegseth, the US defence secretary, has warned, as he claimed Beijing was 'credibly preparing' to use military force to upend the 'balance of power in the Indo-Pacific'.
'The threat China poses is real and it could be imminent,' Mr Hegseth said at the Shangri-La Dialogue, a security conference attended by defence officials from around the world.
Mr Hegseth warned the Chinese forces were building the capabilities to invade Taiwan and 'rehearsing for the real deal'.
Beijing has ramped up military pressure on Taiwan and held multiple large-scale exercises around the island, often described as preparations for a blockade or invasion.
The US was 'reorienting toward 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.
The Pentagon chief made the remarks at an annual security forum in Singapore as Donald Trump's administration sparred with Beijing on trade, technology and influence over strategic areas of the globe.
Since taking office in January, Mr Trump has launched a trade war with China, sought to kerb its access to key AI technologies and deepened security ties with allies such as the Philippines, which is engaged in escalating territorial disputes with Beijing.
Mr 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.
Beijing claims almost the entire waterway, through which more than 60 per cent of global maritime trade passes, despite an international ruling that this territorial assertion has no merit.
China has clashed repeatedly with the Philippines in the strategic waters in recent months, a situation that is set to dominate discussions at the Singapore defence forum, according to US officials.
As Mr Hegseth spoke in Singapore, China's military announced that its navy and air force were carrying out routine 'combat readiness patrols' around the Scarborough Shoal, a chain of reefs and rocks Beijing disputes with the Philippines.
'China's assertiveness in the South China Sea has only increased in recent years,' Casey Mace, charge d'affaires at the US embassy in Singapore, said ahead of the meeting.
'I think that this type of forum is exactly the type of forum where we need to have an exchange on that.'
Beijing has not sent any top defence officials to the summit, dispatching a delegation from the People's Liberation Army National Defence University instead.
Mr Hegseth's hard-hitting address drew a critical reaction from Chinese analysts at the conference.
Da Wei, director of the Centre for International Security and Strategy at Tsinghua University, said the speech was 'very unfriendly' and 'very confrontational'.
He also accused Washington of double standards in demanding Beijing respect its neighbours while bullying its own – such as Canada and Greenland.
Zhou Bo, a former senior colonel also from the centre at Tsinghua University, told AFP that training drills did not mean China would invade Taiwan, saying the government wanted 'peaceful reunification'.
Mr Hegseth's comments came after Trump stoked new trade tensions with China, arguing that Beijing had 'violated' a deal to de-escalate tariffs as the world leaders appeared deadlocked in negotiations.
The world's two biggest economies had agreed to temporarily lower the tariffs they had imposed on each other, pausing them for 90 days.
Reassuring US allies on Saturday, Mr Hegseth said the Indo-Pacific was 'America's priority theatre', pledging to ensure ' China cannot dominate us – or our allies and partners '.
He said the United States had stepped up co-operation with allies including the Philippines and Japan, and reiterated Trump's vow that 'China will not invade [Taiwan] on his watch'.
The Pentagon Chief 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,' Mr Hegseth said, citing pledges by Nato members to move toward Trump's spending target of five per cent of GDP.
'Deterrence doesn't come on the cheap.'
Kaja Kallas, the EU foreign policy chief who was also in Singapore, said the Trump administration's 'tough love' had helped push the continent to beef up its defences.
'It's love nonetheless, so it's better than no love,' Ms Kallas quipped when asked about Mr Hegseth's speech.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
Ukraine war briefing: senior Ukrainian commander resigns after deadly Russian strike
The commander of Ukraine's land forces, one of the most senior positions in the country's military, announced on Sunday that he was tendering his resignation, saying he felt 'responsibility' for the deaths of at least 12 soldiers killed in a Russian strike on a training ground earlier that day. Maj Gen Mykhailo Drapatyi has been in charge of Ukraine's vast wartime land army since November last year. 'This is a conscious step dictated by my personal sense of responsibility for the tragedy at the 239th training ground, which resulted in the deaths of our soldiers,' Drapatyi wrote on Facebook. An earlier statement from the land forces' Telegram page said 12 soldiers had been killed and 60 wounded by a Russian missile strike on a military training site, the latest in a string of similar attacks. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in his nightly video address, said he would summon senior commanders, including top commander Oleksandr Syrskyi, to consider the circumstances of the strike. 'This is not the first strike of its kind when Ukraine has lost personnel. I have called a meeting … to deal with this,' he said. 'We need all our fighting men at the front to defend Ukraine.' Russia's military issued a statement saying its forces had launched a missile on a Ukrainian military 'tent camp' in central Dniepropetrovsk region. Ukraine said on Sunday it had destroyed Russian bombers worth billions of dollars as far away as Siberia, in its longest-range assault of the war. In a spectacular claim, Ukraine said it had damaged $7bn worth of Russian aircraft parked at four airbases thousands of kilometres (miles) away, with unverified video footage showing aircraft engulfed in flames and black smoke. A source in the Ukrainian security services (SBU) said the strikes hit 41 planes that were used to 'bomb Ukrainian villages'. Several Russian and Ukrainian media outlets reported that Ukraine had carried out the operation by launching drones from lorries parked near military airfields deep inside Russia. Ukrainian officials told the media that the operation – codename 'Spiderweb' – had been in preparation for more than 18 months. The drones were first smuggled into Russia and later concealed under the roofs of small wooden sheds which were loaded on to trucks and driven to the perimeter of the airbases. The roof panels of the sheds were lifted off by a remotely activated mechanism, allowing the drones to fly out and begin their attack, the official said. Zelenskyy praised the attacks as a 'brilliant operation' that was 'aimed exclusively at military targets' and caused 'truly significant losses' for Russia. Those who assisted in the operation had been withdrawn from Russia on the eve of the attacks and were safe, he said. Russia has said several 'participants' have been arrested. Russian investigators on Sunday said they believed 'explosions' had caused two bridges in the border regions of Kursk and Bryansk to collapse overnight, derailing trains, killing at least seven people and injuring dozens. The incidents were being treated as terrorism. In Bryansk, which borders Ukraine, a road bridge collapsed onto a railway line late on Saturday, derailing a passenger train heading to Moscow and killing at least seven people. A rail bridge in neighbouring Kursk also collapsed overnight, derailing a freight train and injuring the driver, officials said. Kursk also borders Ukraine. Separately, railway track on the Unecha-Zhecha section in Russia's Bryansk region was damaged without casualties, the national operator, Russian Railways, said. The attacks came just ahead of the second round of direct peace talks between the two sides in Istanbul. After days of uncertainty over whether Ukraine would even attend, Zelenskyy said defence minister Rustem Umerov would meet Russian officials. The first round of the talks more than a week ago yielded the biggest prisoner exchange of the war – but no sense of any consensus on how to halt the fighting. The two sides will in Turkey present their respective documents outlining their ideas for peace terms, according to US envoy Keith Kellogg, though it is clear that after three years of intense war, Moscow and Kyiv remain far apart. Russia's lead negotiator, presidential adviser Vladimir Medinsky, was quoted by Tass news agency as saying the Russian side had received a memorandum from Ukraine on a settlement. Zelenskyy had complained for days that Russia had failed to provide a memorandum with its proposals.
Reuters
2 hours ago
- Reuters
Fed's Waller still open to cutting interest rates later this year
June 1 (Reuters) - Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller said Sunday that interest rate cuts remain possible later this year even as the Trump administration's tariff regime is likely to push up price pressures temporarily. Given that a rise in inflation pressures tied to President Donald Trump's import tax increases is likely not to last, 'I support looking through any tariff effects on near term-inflation when setting the policy rate,' Waller said in the text of a speech prepared for delivery before a gathering in Seoul, South Korea. If tariffs settle in the lower end of the range of possibilities and 'underlying inflation continues to make progress to our 2% goal' with a still 'solid' job sector, 'I would be supporting 'good news' rate cuts later this year,' Waller said. He added, 'Fortunately, the strong labor market and progress on inflation through April gives me additional time to see how trade negotiations play out and the economy evolves' before needing to decide what the central bank should so with interest rates. Waller's comments on the outlook for the economy and monetary policy hew close to his recent comments and come amid considerable uncertainty about the president's trade policy. Trump has made large and unpredictable shifts in tariff rates as well as their timing. At the same time, the tariff system is facing legal challenges that could ultimately blunt the entire endeavor. Economists and Fed officials generally believe the tariffs will push up unemployment and inflation while slowing growth. The tax increases have also called into question whether the central bank will be able to deliver any cuts to what is now a federal funds target rate range of between 4.25% and 4.5% this year. Waller's openness to cutting interest rates later this year if economic conditions allow it contrasts with other central bankers, who have taken a cautious wait-and-see attitude. The economy has thus far seen very little impact from tariffs, but that could change, Waller said. 'I see downside risks to economic activity and employment and upside risks to inflation in the second half of 2025, but how these risks evolve is strongly tied to how trade policy evolves,' Waller said. 'Higher tariffs will reduce spending, and businesses will respond, in part, by reducing production and payrolls,' he said. The Fed official said that, while tariffs will be the main driver of inflation, they are likely to be one-time increases 'most apparent in the second half of 2025.' In the case of more modest duties in the range of 10%, some portion of the rise will not be fully passed through to consumers. The Fed official also said the risks of a "large" tariff scenario imposed have gone down. Waller also flagged what have been divergent readings on inflation expectations. He said he more closely watches market views and those of professional forecasters, both of which expect price pressures to remain contained, than surveys. Waller noted real world data is also not showing much deterioration in the expected path of inflation.
The Independent
2 hours ago
- The Independent
Ukraine-Russia war latest: Zelensky says Russian planes destroyed in drone attack ahead of Istanbul peace talks
Dozens of Russian military aircraft have been destroyed in an unprecedented drone attack deep inside Russia, a Ukrainian official has said, the day before critical peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv resume in Istanbul. Codenamed 'spider web', first-person view (FPV) drones were smuggled deep inside Russian territory inside trucks, before they were unleashed on multiple Russian airfields destroying more than 40 warplanes, Ukrainian security officials said. Volodymyr Zelensky hailed the 'absolutely brilliant' operation which he said destroyed one third of Russia's strategic cruise missile carriers stationed at air bases. Russia confirmed on Sunday that Ukraine had targeted military airfields across five regions on Sunday, causing several aircraft to catch fire - but claimed it had repelled most of the attacks. Vladimir Putin will be 'infuriated' by the 'unprecedented' attack if it is as damaging as Kyiv claims, head of foreign policy at the New Eurasian Strategies Centre John Lough told The Independent, describing it as a 'huge win' for Ukraine. The attack came one day before delegations from Moscow and Kyiv sit down for direct peace talks in Istanbul at 10am UK time (1pm local time) on Monday. Ukraine's delegation will be led by defence minister Rustem Umerov, Mr Zelensky said. Seven killed in bridge collapse and train derailment in Russia - ICYMI At least seven people were killed and 30 hospitalised after "illegal interference" caused a bridge to collapse and a train to derail in Russia's Bryansk region that borders Ukraine, Russian authorities said this morning. The train's locomotive and several cars derailed "due to the collapse of a span structure of the road bridge as a result of an illegal interference in the operation of transport," Russian Railways said on Telegram. Two children were among those hospitalised, one of them in a serious condition, according to Alexander Bogomaz, the governor of the Bryansk region. Among those killed was the locomotive driver, Russia's state news agencies reported, citing medics. Russia's ministry of emergency situations said its main efforts were aimed at finding and rescuing victims, and that some 180 personnel were involved in the operation. Russia's Baza Telegram channel, which often publishes information from sources in the security services and law enforcement, reported without providing evidence that the bridge was blown up. Since the start of the war that Russia launched more than three years ago, there have been continued cross-border shelling, drone strikes, and covert raids from Ukraine into the Bryansk, Kursk and Belgorod regions that border Ukraine. The train was going from the town of Klimovo to Moscow, Russian Railways said. It collided with the collapsed bridge in the area of a federal highway in the Vygonichskyi district of the Bryansk region. The district lies some 100km from the border with Ukraine. Alex Croft2 June 2025 00:15 Nato may be attacked by Russia in next four years, says German defence chief Nato should prepare for a possible attack from Russia within the next four years, Germany's chief of defence has told the BBC. Russia is producing hundreds of tanks per year, which could be used for an attack on Nato Baltic state members before 2029, General Carsten Breuer said. Nato is facing a 'very serious threat' which is more significant than General Breuer has seen in his four decades of service, he told the BBC at the Shangri-la Dialogue, a defence summit in Singapore. Russia is producing nearly 1,500 battle tanks per year, he added. "Not every single tank is going to [the war in] Ukraine, but it's also going in stocks and into new military structures always facing the West," he said. "There's an intent and there's a buildup of the stocks.' Alex Croft1 June 2025 23:30 Four killed in Russian shelling in Zaporizhzhia as woman's home destroyed Russian shelling and an air attack killed four people in areas outside the southeastern Ukraine city of Zaporizhzhia, the regional governor said on Sunday. Ivan Fedorov, writing on the Telegram messaging app, said three women died in a series of Russian shelling incidents targeting the village of Ternuvate, east of Zaporizhzhia. A shop and several homes were badly damaged. A man died in a nearby district in a Russian strike by a guided aerial bomb, Fedorov said. A private home was destroyed. 1 June 2025 22:55 Drone attack destroyed one third of Russian strategic bombers, says Zelensky Volodymyr Zelensky has claimed that Ukraine's operation against Russian airfields struck one third of the strategic cruise missile carriers stationed at air bases. 'Today, a brilliant operation was carried out. The preparation took over a year and a half,' he wrote on X alongside his Sunday evening address. 'What's most interesting, is that the 'office' of our operation on Russian territory was located directly next to FSB headquarters in one of their regions. 'In total, 117 drones were used in the operation with a corresponding number of drone operators involved. 34% of the strategic cruise missile carriers stationed at air bases were hit. We will continue this work.' Alex Croft1 June 2025 22:50 Russia says it has captured Oleksiivka in Ukraine's Sumy region Russia's Defence Ministry has said Russian forces captured Oleksiivka in Ukraine's Sumy region. It comes a day after the ministry claimed its forces captured two villages in eastern Ukraine - Novopil in Donetsk region and Vodolagy in Sumy region. The Independent could not verify battlefield reports. Hundreds of villages are under evacuation orders in the region amid fears that Russia could launch a significant offensive from the northeast. Alex Croft1 June 2025 22:16 Recap | Ukraine says Russia launched biggest number of drones in 3-year war today Russia launched 472 drones at Ukraine overnight, Ukraine's air force said on Sunday, the highest nightly total of the war so far. The air force said in a statement that Russia had also launched seven missiles. It added that 382 of the drones were shot down or otherwise neutralised, along with three of the missiles. Russia has recently stepped up the amount of drones it launches at Ukraine in its regular nightly barrages. Alex Croft1 June 2025 21:49 Zelensky hails 'historic' attack on Russian warplanes Volodymyr Zelensky has hailed the 'absolutely brilliant' operation against Russian warplanes, saying it will 'undoubtedly be in [the[ history books'. 'A result achieved solely by Ukraine. One year, six months, and nine days from the start of planning to effective execution. Our most long-range operation,' Mr Zelensky said The Ukrainian agents involved in the operation were successfully extracted from Russian territory, he added. Appearing to refer to the fact that a limited number of videos have so far been released - with analysts saying they cannot independently verify Kyiv's claim that 41 planes were destroyed - Mr Zelensky said: 'I instructed the Security Service of Ukraine to inform the public about the details and results of the operation that can be disclosed. 'Of course, not everything can be revealed at this moment, but these are Ukrainian actions that will undoubtedly be in history books.' In a later post on X, Mr Zelensky claimed one third of Russian strategic cruise carriers were destroyed. 'In total, 117 drones were used in the operation with a corresponding number of drone operators involved. 34 per cent of the strategic cruise missile carriers stationed at air bases were hit. We will continue this work.' Alex Croft1 June 2025 21:30 Full report: Dozens of Russian warplanes destroyed in Ukrainian drone attack, claims Kyiv Dozens of Russian military aircraft have been destroyed in an unprecedented Ukrainian drone attack on military airfields deep inside Russia, Kyiv has said. The so-called 'Spider Web' operation, carried out by Ukraine's SBU security service, saw drones smuggled thousands of kilometres into Russian territory using lorries, before they were unleashed to destroy more than 40 warplanes, the SBU said. Vladimir Putin will be 'infuriated' by the 'unprecedented' attack if it is as damaging as Kyiv claims, Russia expert John Lough told The Independent, describing it as a 'huge win' for Ukraine that will boost morale within the military. Dozens of Russian warplanes destroyed in Ukrainian drone attack, claims Kyiv Putin will be 'infuriated' by the attack, a Russia expert said, which comes a day before Moscow and Kyiv sit down in Istanbul for direct peace talks Alex Croft1 June 2025 21:02 Senior Ukrainian military commander tenders resignation over lethal strike on training facility The commander of Ukraine's land forces, one of the most senior positions in the country's armed forces, announced on Sunday that he was tendering his resignation, citing a lethal strike on Ukrainian military training facility. Alex Croft1 June 2025 20:40 Ukraine to set out roadmap for peace at Istanbul talks, document shows Ukrainian negotiators will present to the Russian side a proposed roadmap for reaching a lasting peace settlement in Istanbul, according to a copy of the document seen by news agency Reuters. The proposed roadmap begins with a full ceasefire of at least 30 days, to be followed by the return of all prisoners held by each side, and of Ukrainian children taken into Russian-held territory, and then a meeting between Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian leader Vladimir Putin. Under the blueprint, Moscow and Kyiv – with the participation of the United States and Europe – will work to hash out the terms on which they can agree to put a complete end to their three-year-old war, the biggest conflict in Europe since World War Two. Ukrainian officials said earlier this week that they had sent the blueprint to the Russian side in advance of the Istanbul talks.
