Latest news with #IndoPacific
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Pentagon boss Hegseth warns of ‘devastating' consequences if China looks to ‘conquer' Taiwan
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, in an appearance in Singapore, has vowed 'devastating consequences' if China moves to 'conquer' Taiwan, according to multiple published reports. The Pentagon's chief's comments appeared aimed at assuaging concerns in Asia about the nation's commitment to preserving security in the region, The Wall Street Journal reported. In what the Journal described as Hegseth's 'most assertive' comment so far on Taiwan, the defense secretary said threats to the island by China 'could be imminent.' The U.S. goal is to 'prevent war' through deterrence with its allies. But if that fails, and 'if called upon by my commander in chief, we are prepared to do what the Department of Defense does best, to fight and win decisively,' Hegseth said, according to the Journal. Hegseth said the region is a 'priority' for the Republican White House. He made his remarks at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, 'a security conference attended by many top defense officials from Asian and Western countries,' according to the Journal. 'To be clear: Any attempt by Communist China to conquer Taiwan by force would result in devastating consequences for the Indo-Pacific and the world. We are not going to sugarcoat it. The threat China poses is real. And it could be imminent,' Hegseth said without outlining what those consequences would be. At the same time, he said that 'Communist China will not invade Taiwan on [President Trump's] watch.' Hegseth didn't offer details on how the U.S. might respond to Chinese aggression against Taiwan, according to the Journal. China has claimed Taiwan as its territory, and it has refused to rule out using force to take control of the self-governed island, the newspaper reported. RFK Jr. slammed raw milk shots with podcast host in the White House Major Trump foe says Republicans keep approaching her with shocking message 'Turning a blind eye to genocide': Mass. Rep. Neal's visit to Ireland protested 'Incredibly ironic': Trump antisemitism effort may force out Harvard's Israeli Jews 'We're not sanctuary cities': WMass mayors push back at feds over DHS target list Read the original article on MassLive.
CNA
3 hours ago
- General
- CNA
Defence leaders cheered by US commitment to Indo-Pacific: Singapore Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing
Singapore's new Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing says defence leaders are cheered by the United States affirming its commitment to the Indo-Pacific region. Speaking to reporters after hosting a ministerial roundtable on day two of the Shangri-La Dialogue, Mr Chan also urged countries to continue engaging China, even as its defence minister is absent from this year's event. Jeraldine Yap with more.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Hegseth warns Indo Pacific allies: ‘The threat China poses is real'
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Friday urged U.S. allies in the Indo-Pacific to increase their defense spending and cooperation with Washington, warning that China poses a 'real' and 'imminent' threat to the region. 'There's no reason to sugarcoat it: the threat China poses is real, and it could be imminent,' Hegseth said late Friday at the International Institute for Strategic Studies' Shangri-La Dialogue summit in Singapore. He added that the nations need to be prepared with 'urgency and vigilance,' even if they know little about China's next move in the region. The Defense chief's comments come as President Trump has pushed NATO members to increase their defense investments, wanting each country to spend at least 5 percent of its GDP, above the alliance's previously set 2 percent target. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is also serving as Trump's national security adviser, said in mid-March that all NATO members 'will have agreed on a goal' of reaching the 5 percent over the next 10 years. Hegseth vowed that the U.S. would remain committed to supporting its allies. 'We do not seek conflict with communist China. … But we will not be pushed out of this critical region, and we will not let our allies and partners be subordinated and intimidated,' Hegseth told a crowd of diplomats, business figures and top military officials in Singapore. China has not taken the option of using force to take Taiwan off the table. The Defense secretary added that Beijing is 'credibly preparing to use military force to alter the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific.' But, he said, any attempts by China to occupy Taiwan — the self-governing island that Beijing still considers under their control — would cause 'devastating consequences' not just for the region, but the whole world. Similarly to Trump's speech in Riyadh earlier this month, where he condemned Western intervention and nation-building, Hegseth emphasized that the U.S. foreign policy approach is different from previous administrations. 'We are not here to pressure other countries to embrace and adopt our politics or ideology — we are not here to preach to you about climate change or cultural issues — [and] we are not here to impose our will on you,' he told the crowd. 'We are all sovereign nations.' The pressure also comes as tension rises between the U.S. and China over trade negotiations around Trump's sweeping tariffs. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent earlier this week suggested that amid tension, talks were currently stalled. Trump on Friday also accused China of violating the terms of a previous deal. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Malay Mail
6 hours ago
- Business
- Malay Mail
US warns of China's military threat, vows commitment to Asia-Pacific
SINGAPORE, May 31 — US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth warned today that China was 'credibly preparing' to use military force to upend the balance of power in Asia, vowing the United States was 'here to stay' in the region. The Pentagon chief made the remarks at an annual security forum in Singapore as the administration of US President Donald Trump spars with Beijing on trade, technology, and influence over strategic corners of the globe. China's representatives at the conference blasted the speech, calling it 'groundless accusations fabricated out of thin air'. Trump has launched a trade war with China since taking office in January, has sought to curb 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. '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 said. Hegseth warned that the Chinese military was building the capabilities to invade Taiwan and 'rehearsing for the real deal'. China has ramped up military pressure on Taiwan and held large-scale exercises around the island that are often described as preparations for a blockade or invasion. The United States 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. Stirring up trouble 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 disputed South China Sea. Beijing claims almost the entire waterway, through which more than 60 percent of global maritime trade passes, despite an international ruling that its assertion has no merit. It has clashed repeatedly with the Philippines in the strategic waters in recent months, with the flashpoint set to dominate discussions at the Singapore forum, according to US officials. As 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. Beijing did not send any top defence ministry officials to the summit, dispatching instead a delegation from the People's Liberation Army National Defence University led by Rear Admiral Hu Gangfeng. Without referring to Hegseth by name, Hu said of his speech that 'these actions are essentially about stirring up trouble, creating division, inciting confrontation, and destabilising the Asia-Pacific'. 'They run counter to the prevailing trend, are unpopular—and are bound to fail,' Hu told a panel discussion. Hegseth's hard-hitting address also drew a critical reaction from Chinese analysts at the conference. Da Wei, director of the Center for International Security and Strategy at Tsinghua University, told reporters the speech was 'very unfriendly' and 'very confrontational', accusing Washington of double standards in demanding Beijing respect its neighbours while bullying its own—including Canada and Greenland. 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 two sides appeared deadlocked in negotiations. The world's two biggest economies had agreed to temporarily lower eye-watering tariffs they had imposed on each other, pausing them for 90 days. Cannot dominate Reassuring US allies on Saturday, Hegseth said the Asia-Pacific region 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 cooperation with allies including the Philippines and Japan, and reiterated Trump's vow that 'China will not invade (Taiwan) on his watch'. However, 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 towards Trump's defence spending target of five percent of GDP. 'Deterrence doesn't come on the cheap.' — AFP
Telegraph
7 hours ago
- Business
- Telegraph
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.
