Latest news with #ChinaThreat
Yahoo
16 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Australia should surge defense spending to 3.5% of GDP, Pentagon says
SINGAPORE — The United States is urging Australia to raise defense spending to 3.5% of GDP, almost a third above the target Canberra has set even for the early 2030s, the Pentagon said Sunday. 'On defense spending, [Defense Secretary Pete] Hegseth conveyed that Australia should increase its defense spending to 3.5 percent of its GDP as soon as possible,' the statement read, referring to a meeting with Australia's Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Richard Marles. The two defense chiefs spoke on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue, a defense summit in Singapore. In a speech describing the Trump administration's approach to Asia, Hegseth said the military threat posed by China 'could be imminent' and called on U.S. allies in the region to drastically increase defense spending. Marles said Hegseth had raised the topic in their meeting but didn't specify a rate. 'I don't think it's about a particular number,' Marles said in an interview. 'America has clearly been articulating that they want their friends and allies to spend more.' During his speech, Hegseth pointed to NATO countries' recent push to reach defense budgets closer to 5% of GDP — a share the Pentagon's head of policy has repeatedly said should be the standard for U.S. allies in the Indo-Pacific. 'We ask, and indeed we insist, that our allies and partners do their part,' Hegseth said. Still, the varying signals have left some U.S. allies confused and frustrated at the repeated public calls from Washington to spend more. Australia already plans to raise its defense budget to 2.4% of GDP by 2033-34, up from the about 2% it spends now. Defense analysts largely see the Pentagon's statements as a way for the Trump administration to create negotiating leverage — shifting the window of acceptable spending numbers for allied governments. But some also warn it could backfire if the public in other countries starts to see these calls as strong-arming. 'We do understand where America is coming from and we're up to the conversation,' Marles said. 'But ultimately, the decisions that we make around defense spending are going to be driven by Australia's national interest.'
Fox News
17 hours ago
- Business
- Fox News
China accuses Hegseth of espousing 'Cold War mentality' for labeling country as a threat: 'Vilified'
China criticized U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Sunday for his "vilified" remarks "filled with provocations" in which he said the Asian country poses a legitimate threat in the Indo-Pacific. The Chinese Foreign Ministry said Hegseth touted a "Cold War mentality" when he delivered his speech on Saturday at the Shangri-La Dialogue security conference in Singapore. "Hegseth deliberately ignored the call for peace and development by countries in the region, and instead touted the Cold War mentality for bloc confrontation, vilified China with defamatory allegations, and falsely called China a 'threat,'" a spokesperson for the ministry said in a statement. "The remarks were filled with provocations and intended to sow discord," the statement continued. "China deplores and firmly opposes them and has protested strongly to the U.S. No country in the world deserves to be called a hegemonic power other than the US itself, which is also the primary factor undermining the peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific." On Saturday, Hegseth said the U.S. will bolster its defenses overseas to counter what the Pentagon views as rapidly developing threats by China, particularly toward Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its own. The Chinese 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 Pentagon chief said China is no longer building up its military forces to take Taiwan, but it is "actively training for it, every day." Addressing the dispute over Taiwan, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in its statement that the matter is China's internal affair and that the U.S. should "never play with fire." "No country is in a position to interfere," the statement said. "The US should never imagine it could use the Taiwan question as leverage against China. The US must never play with fire on this question. China urges the US to fully abide by the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiqués, and stop supporting and emboldening the 'Taiwan independence' separatist forces." The statement also accused the U.S. of deploying offensive weaponry in the South China Sea and "stoking flames and creating tensions" in the Asia-Pacific, which it said was "turning the region into a powder keg and making countries in the region deeply concerned." In the South China Sea, the statement said there "has never been any problem with regard to freedom of navigation and overflight there." "China has always been committed to working with countries concerned to properly handle differences through dialogue and consultation, while safeguarding China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in accordance with laws and regulations," the spokesperson said. "It is the U.S. that is the primary factor hurting the peace and stability in the South China Sea." The statement concluded: "China urges the U.S. to fully respect the efforts of countries in the region to maintain peace and stability, stop deliberately destroying the peaceful and stable environment cherished by the region, and stop inciting conflict and confrontation and escalating tensions in the region." Chinese Defense Ministry spokesperson Zhang Xiaogang also called Hegseth's comments a provocation that distorted China's policy positions. While Hegseth vowed to boost U.S. defenses overseas to counter any possible threat from China, the defense secretary insisted that allies in the Indo-Pacific also contribute more to their own defense. "We ask, and indeed we insist, that our allies and partners do their part on defense," he said on Saturday. "Sometimes that means having uncomfortable and tough conversations." The U.S. and China reached a deal last month to cut tariffs on each other by 115% for 90 days to allow time for negotiators from both sides to come to a more substantive agreement, but Trump said in a social media post on Friday that he would no longer be "nice" with China when it comes to trade and accused Beijing of breaking an unspecified agreement with the U.S.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
China accuses Hegseth of touting ‘Cold War mentality' in provocative speech
China accused Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth of espousing a 'Cold War mentality' in a speech 'filled with provocations' in Singapore on Saturday. 'Hegseth deliberately ignored the call for peace and development by countries in the region, and instead touted the Cold War mentality for bloc confrontation, vilified China with defamatory allegations, and falsely called China a 'threat,'' a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Monday. 'The remarks were filled with provocations and intended to sow discord. China deplores and firmly opposes them and has protested strongly to the U.S.,' the spokesperson continued. Hegseth, who took the stage at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on Saturday, sought to woo Asian defense leaders to Washington's side, as he warned of the 'imminent' threat China poses to the Indo-Pacific region. China has threatened to overtake Taiwan, a potential reality Hegseth played into in his speech at the forum. 'There's no reason to sugarcoat it. The threat China poses is real, and it could be imminent,' Hegseth said, adding that any move on Taipei by Beijing 'would result in devastating consequences for the Indo-Pacific and the world.' China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson pushed back against claims that it poses a 'threat' and returned the accusation to the U.S. 'No country in the world deserves to be called a hegemonic power other than the U.S. itself, who is also the primary factor undermining the peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific,' the spokesperson said. 'To perpetuate its hegemony and advance the so-called 'Indo-Pacific strategy,' the U.S. has deployed offensive weaponry in the South China Sea and kept stoking flames and creating tensions in the Asia-Pacific, which are turning the region into a powder keg and making countries in the region deeply concerned.' Hegseth's trip to Singapore — his second visit to the region as Pentagon chief — came amid a backdrop of heightened rhetoric between Washington and Beijing, which President Trump accused Friday of violating a temporary trade deal. European and Indo-Pacific countries have found themselves at a crossroads as of late, increasingly pulled between the competing interests of the U.S. and China as both struggle for dominance. In an attempt to sway Indo-Pacific nations, Hegseth promised continued American partnership and support to those wary of the Trump administration's commitment to the region. But the pledges came with a caveat repeated in Europe, Africa and elsewhere in the world: a call for an increase in defense spending. 'We ask, and indeed we insist, that our allies and partners do their part on defense,' he said. 'Sometimes that means having uncomfortable and tough conversations.' The Hill has reached out to the Defense Department for a response. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Malay Mail
a day ago
- Business
- Malay Mail
America's Pacific demands and the limits of fiscal reality in Asean — Phar Kim Beng
JUNE 2 — At the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth delivered what sounded like a strategic imperative: Asian allies and partners should raise their defence spending to 5 per cent of GDP to match the scale of the threat posed by China. US allies and partners in Asia continue to spend well below 5 per cent of GDP on defence. In 2024, Singapore allocated 2.8 per cent of its GDP to defence, followed by South Korea (2.6 per cent), Taiwan (2.1 per cent), Australia (1.9 per cent), Japan (1.4 per cent) and the Philippines (1.3 per cent), according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. South-east Asian defence officials also attending the Shangri-La Dialogue broadly welcomed Hegseth's speech and his reaffirmation of Washington's commitment to the region, but some voiced serious concerns about the feasibility of increasing defence spending. Indeed, such a request, framed as a measure of deterrence, struck a discordant note across the hall — particularly in Southeast Asia, where economic resilience, not military escalation, defines the essence of regional security. What Hegseth articulated is, in effect, a revival of the Guam Doctrine of 1969 — a proposition that allies and partners should do more for their own defence. This time, however, the request is wrapped in a populist 'America First' narrative shaped by President Trump and championed by figures like Vice President JD Vance, placing fiscal responsibility squarely on the shoulders of others. The contradictions are glaring. While demanding higher defence spending from its Asian allies, the US is simultaneously imposing tariffs on their exports, especially targeting South-east Asia's key sectors in steel, semiconductors, and electronics. These economic burdens reduce the very fiscal space needed for the type of defence buildup the US envisions. Countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, and Cambodia — who welcomed Hegseth's speech — have quietly signalled that matching European-style defence budgets is not only unrealistic, but contrary to the region's developmental priorities. As Maj Gen Kristomei Sianturi of Indonesia noted, even allocating 1 per cent of the national budget to defence is a stretch. For these states, security stems from stability, diplomacy, and economic growth — not from entering an arms race that benefits American defence contractors more than their own people. South-east Asia, led by Malaysia as Asean Chair, has long championed a policy of 'active nonalignment,' a concept Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim reiterated at the summit. This is not mere fence-sitting. It is a deliberate strategy to remain outward-facing, independent, and free from being co-opted by rival power blocs. In practice, it means cooperating with both the US and China, while aligning with neither. This stance resonates with Asean's ethos. In contrast to Nato, Asean has never been a military bloc. Its primary tools have been multilateral diplomacy, economic interdependence, and non-interference. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth attends a trilateral meeting between Japan, the US and Australia, at the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue security summit in Singapore, May 31, 2025. — Reuters pic The success of the Asean-led Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and the Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA) show that integration — soft, not hard — remains Asean's preferred path to resilience. Hegseth's call to emulate Europe's 5 per cent military commitment also fails to appreciate the deep differences in historical experience. Europe, after Ukraine, faces an existential threat along its eastern frontier. Asia, while navigating tensions in the South China Sea and over Taiwan, has not suffered a major interstate war in decades. The threshold for panic — and for reordering budgets on such a scale — is simply not comparable. Moreover, there is a structural contradiction in America's own Indo-Pacific engagement. While Trump's administration threatens to reduce troop levels in South Korea and possibly Japan, the same administration is demanding more contributions from these states. This contradiction does not go unnoticed in Asia. Some, like Professor Da Wei of Tsinghua University, question America's credibility in maintaining regional balance while leveraging tariffs and troop withdrawals as bargaining chips. Hegseth touted new initiatives like the NMESIS deployment to the Philippines and repair facilities for P-8 patrol aircraft in Australia. These are steps in the right direction. But if strategic cooperation is to be meaningful, it cannot be built on pressure and paternalism. A sustainable regional security architecture must be based on mutual respect, tailored to local fiscal realities and political contexts. To this end, Asean countries should not allow themselves to be strong-armed into military buildup under the guise of collective deterrence. Rather, they must invest in security as they define it — through stronger coast guards, cyber defence, humanitarian assistance, and multilateral maritime cooperation with frameworks such as the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF). These align better with regional threats such as piracy, illegal fishing, and transnational crime than Cold War-style militarisation. Ultimately, the U.S. must understand that in Asia, partnerships are earned — not enforced. Trust is not built through military might alone, but through consistency, trade equity, and respect for strategic autonomy. As the Indo-Pacific becomes the fulcrum of 21st-century geopolitics, America's ability to remain a trusted partner will depend on how well it listens — not just how loudly it speaks. * Phar Kim Beng is a professor of Asean Studies, International Islamic University Malaysia. ** This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
China says Hegseth is touting a Cold War mentality in calling the country a threat
BEIJING (AP) — China on Sunday denounced U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for calling the Asian country a threat, accusing him of touting a Cold War mentality as tensions between Washington and Beijing further escalate. The foreign ministry said Hegseth vilified Beijing with defamatory allegations the previous day at the Shangri-La Dialogue, a global security conference. The statement also accused the United States of inciting conflict and confrontation in the region. 'Hegseth deliberately ignored the call for peace and development by countries in the region, and instead touted the Cold War mentality for bloc confrontation,' it said, referring to the post-World War II rivalry between the U.S. and the former Soviet Union. 'No country in the world deserves to be called a hegemonic power other than the U.S. itself,' it said, alleging that Washington is also undermining peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific. Hegseth said in Singapore on Saturday that Washington will bolster its defenses overseas to counter what the Pentagon sees as rapidly developing threats by Beijing, particularly in its aggressive stance toward Taiwan. 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.' A 'provocation' by Hegseth The Chinese statement said the matter of Taiwan is China's internal affair and that the U.S. should 'never play with fire' with it. The statement also alleged Washington had deployed offensive weaponry in the South China Sea, was 'stoking flames and creating tensions in the Asia-Pacific' and "turning the region into a powder keg.' Spokesperson Zhang Xiaogang of China's defense ministry called Hegseth's comments a provocation and said they distorted China's policy positions. The U.S. and China had reached a deal last month to cut U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs from 145% to 30% for 90 days, creating time for negotiators from both sides to reach a more substantive agreement. China also reduced its taxes on U.S. goods from 125% to 10%. But it's uncertain if a trade war truce will last. Trump in a social media post on Friday said he would no longer be 'nice' with China when it comes to trade and accused Beijing of breaking an unspecified agreement with the U.S. Tensions escalated anew after the U.S. said on Wednesday it would start revoking visas for Chinese students studying there. The matter of the Philippines At the Singapore forum on Sunday, Philippines Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro scoffed at the idea that the U.S. was the problem. The Philippines has been involved in increasingly violent clashes with China over competing claims in the South China Sea. Teodoro said what the Chinese government saw as fair might be contrary to the norms accepted by the rest of the world. The Chinese Embassy in Singapore in separate Facebook posts described Teodoro's remarks as 'groundless accusations' and argued that the South China Sea Islands are China's inherent territories. The 'troublemaker' is not China, it said, and cited what it said were recent illegal intrusions by the Philippines into the waters adjacent to two reefs. 'Some outside power' was posing the biggest threat to peace with the deployment of offensive weapons and roping in allies for frequent military drills, it said, without naming anyone. 'Which country is coercing and bullying others, and instigating conflicts and confrontation in the South China Sea? The answer is clear to all,' it said. And then there was Macron Separately, the Chinese Embassy in Singapore on Saturday criticized attempts to link the issue of Taiwan with that of the war in Ukraine after French President Emmanuel Macron warned of a dangerous double standard in focusing on a potential conflict with China at the cost of abandoning Ukraine. The embassy did not name Macron in its post on Facebook, but the post included a photo showing the French president at the Singapore forum. 'If one tries to denounce 'double standards' through the lens of a double standard, the only result we can get is still double standard,' it said. China, which usually sends its defense minister to the Shangri-La forum, this time sent a lower-level delegation led by Maj. Gen. Hu Gangfeng, the vice president of the People's Liberation Army National Defense University.
