China Blasts Hegseth as Defense Minister Avoids Singapore Forum
China expressed 'strong dissatisfaction' with US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for his speech at a Singapore defense forum on Saturday, even as Beijing declined to send its top military diplomat to the annual event.
Hegseth chided China during the Shangri-La Dialogue, noting how the nation didn't send a high-profile representative to the gathering. It was the first time Beijing hasn't sent a defense minister to the forum since 2019, depriving China from conducting diplomacy with top military officials from around the globe and pushing its vision for regional security.
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