Latest news with #Shangri-LaDialogueSummit
Egypt Independent
2 days ago
- Politics
- Egypt Independent
US calls for Asia allies to boost defenses in face of China's ‘imminent' threat, Hegseth tells top defense forum
Singapore CNN — US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Saturday delivered a dire warning to the Asia-Pacific region and the world: China's designs on Taiwan pose a threat to global peace and stability that requires 'our allies and partners do their part on defense.' 'There is no reason to sugarcoat it. The threat China poses is real. And it could be imminent,' Hegseth said in a speech to the Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia's premier defense forum, in Singapore. 'Beijing is credibly preparing potentially to use military force to alter the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific,' with People's Liberation Army (PLA) forces training daily to take military action against Taiwan, Hegseth said. He noted that Chinese leader Xi Jinping has ordered his military to be prepared by 2027 to invade Taiwan, the democratic island of 23 million people that the Chinese Communist Party claims as its sovereign territory despite having never ruled it. 'The PLA is building the military needed to do it, training for it every day and rehearsing for the real deal,' Hegseth said, delivering some of his strongest comments against China since he took office in January. China criticized the comments on Sunday. In a statement, Beijing's foreign ministry said Hegseth had 'vilified' the country with 'defamatory allegations.' 'The remarks were filled with provocations and intended to sow division,' the foreign ministry said, accusing the US of deliberately ignoring calls for peace from regional nations. In his remarks Saturday, Hegseth said US President Donald Trump has pledged not to let Taiwan fall to China on his watch, and he called on US allies and partners in the region to band together to stand up to Beijing, both on the Taiwan issue and other regional disputes where China aggressively pursues its agenda, such as in the South China Sea. Attendees outside the ballroom watch on a screen as US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth delivers an address at the Shangri-La Dialogue Summit in Singapore on May 31, 2025. Mohd Rasfan/AFP/Getty Images 'China's behavior towards its neighbors and the world is a wake-up call. And an urgent one,' the US defense chief said. But he said the US cannot deter the Chinese threat alone, calling on other nations to be 'force multipliers' against Beijing. 'We ask – and indeed, we insist – that our allies and partners do their part on defense,' he said. Hegseth urged Asian countries to increase their defense spending, pointing to NATO allies who have boosted it to 5% of gross domestic product. '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 said. While Hegseth made clear that Washington does not seek conflict with China, he stressed the Trump administration would not let aggression from Beijing stand. '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 speech adds to heated tensions between Washington and Beijing. China has railed against America's efforts in recent years to tighten its alliances and stiffen its defense posture in Asia, while economic frictions rose to historic levels earlier this year after Trump imposed tariffs on China, sparking a tit-for-tat between the two countries that saw duties rise to more than 100% on each other's goods. The annual Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore has in the past been a place where defense leaders from the US and China can meet on the sidelines and foster at least a minimal dialogue between the two foes. No such meeting is expected to take place this year. China announced on Thursday that it would send only a low-level delegation from its National Defense University to Shangri-La, rather than its defense minister, who has spoken at the past five forums. When the International Institute for Strategic Studies, which sponsors the event, belatedly released a speakers list for the forum on Friday afternoon, the usual 8:30 a.m. time slot for a Chinese representative to speak was scrubbed from the agenda. At a Chinese Defense Ministry press conference on Thursday, a spokesperson ducked a question on why Beijing was not sending its defense minister to the forum. China was 'open to communication at all levels between the two sides,' a ministry spokesperson said, when asked about a potential sidelines meeting with the US delegation. Hegseth's call for allied cooperation in deterring China is a carryover from the Biden administration, but the Trump administration seems more strident than its predecessor. Ahead of the Singapore conference, there was broad consensus among analysts that unlike the turmoil Trump has caused in Europe – with threats to pull back from NATO and abandon Ukraine in its fight against Russia's invasion – the US role in Asia has largely been consistent, centered on a policy to counter Chinese influence and back Taiwan. Analysts noted that US-led military exercises, especially those involving key allies Japan, Australia, the Philippines and South Korea, have continued or even been bolstered in 2025.
Straits Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
Shangri-La Dialogue 2025: Did China really take a back seat by not sending its defence minister?
Major General Hu Gangfeng (C), Vice President of National Defense University of Chinese People's Liberation Army attends the Shangri-La Dialogue Summit in Singapore on May 31, 2025. (Photo by MOHD RASFAN / AFP) AFP Shangri-La Dialogue 2025 Did China take a back seat by not having its defence minister attend top security meet? SINGAPORE - Almost everyone was talking about China at the Shangri-La Dialogue this weekend. The main question: Why did Beijing opt not to send its defence minister? For the large part of the three-day security forum held at the Shangri-La Hotel in Singapore, China was not around to push back against the criticisms levied against it. But it appears that this was a calculated loss that Beijing is prepared to accept. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth mentioned China about 20 times in his speech on May 31, as he urged other countries in the Indo-Pacific to increase their defence expenditure, buy more American arms and buffer themselves against the 'threat' posed by China. French President Emmanuel Macron on May 30 invited the security policymakers and military chiefs attending the forum to think of Russia's aggression in Ukraine as what China might do to Taiwan or the Philippines. The role of the Chinese defence minister is to conduct defence diplomacy and explain China's security positions to other countries. Had he been at this weekend's top security gathering in Singapore, Beijing would have had the podium for over an hour to respond to Washington and address the concerns raised by other delegates. Not this year. For the first time since 2019, China's defence minister did not attend. This meant the platform set aside for China had to be downsized accordingly. Its delegation chief – a military scholar with the rank of a one-star general – spoke in a smaller room to a smaller audience for a shorter time than the minister would have had. He was one of five panellists at one of the three concurrent sessions at the end of the day on May 31. As the vice-president of the People's Liberation Army National Defence University, Rear-Admiral Hu Gangfeng is not involved in combat operations or policymaking. He gave a brief response to Mr Hegseth's speech, dismissing his criticisms as 'unfounded accusations' and going against the spirit of the forum, to reduce and not magnify differences. The Chinese embassy in Singapore, which belongs to the ministry of foreign affairs and usually remains backstage at the defence ministry-driven Shangri-La Dialogue, made the unusual move of posting a response to Mr Hegseth's speech on its Facebook page, describing it as 'steeped in provocations and instigation' and a relentless hyping of the China threat. But China's overall response to its critics at the forum this year was markedly low-key compared with the year before. In 2024, the Chinese defence ministry officials briefed reporters hours after then US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin gave his speech; Minister Dong Jun held court at a plenary session the next day; and just before the forum ended, four or five military experts stood in different corners of a hotel room to answer journalists' questions almost in a speed-dating format. Did China shoot itself in the foot by ceding the space at the annual forum for the US to run with its narrative of rallying allies and partners in the region against Beijing? Not necessarily. A Chinese security expert explained that while the delivery style may differ, whoever represents China at the forum is expected to deliver the same talking points that have been pre-cleared by the senior leadership, at the apex of which is President Xi Jinping, the de facto commander-in-chief. He declined to be named as he was not cleared to speak to the media. Rear-Adm Hu alluded to this on May 31 when pressed to explain the absence of the defence minister: 'Objectively speaking, I'm the appointed person today to convey our thinking and exchange views with you all. I suppose you would've heard clearly our true thinking.' He argued that China's representation at the forum changes over the years, and this variance should be seen as a 'perfectly normal work arrangement that does not impact the actual efficacy of our sharing of defence policy thinking'. But this does not mean that China has given up on the Shangri-La Dialogue and will never send its defence minister again. Rear-Adm Hu reaffirmed that China still values and sees the forum as a 'very good platform to engage and discuss with all parties about regional cooperation in Asia-Pacific'. This raises the question – if so, why didn't Beijing send its top defence diplomat here? Observers have proffered a number of theories for Admiral Dong's no-show. A likely explanation is that since the leaders of China and the US have not talked and decided at the highest level on how to manage the bilateral relations, which are fractious across trade, politics and security, there is not much that their defence ministers can meet and talk about, in practical terms. Having bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the forum in the third-party ground of Singapore is the other main purpose of being here, besides to speak at the forum. For example, when Adm Dong attended the forum in 2024 for the first time as defence minister, his bilateral meetings with the then Defence Secretary was crucial for a reset of China-US military ties, which had stalled after then US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi angered China by visiting Taiwan in 2022. Given the uncertainty and unpredictability of bilateral ties, China may have opted for a conservative, wait-and-see approach this year by sending a lower-level representation. Another supplementary consideration is: While Adm Dong appeared to have been in the clear after reportedly being questioned for corruption last year, rumours of other generals being investigated for corruption continue to surface . The absence of high-level military officials would forestall awkward questions, even in casual conversation . As with many things related to the Communist Party of China, the full picture may never emerge. Two scholars in the official Chinese delegation confessed to The Straits Times that they simply did not know the reason Adm Dong did not attend this year's forum. For this year, Mr Hegseth gets the spotlight all to himself. Yew Lun Tian is a senior foreign correspondent who covers China for The Straits Times. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
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First Post
3 days ago
- Politics
- First Post
Pentagon chief warns Indo-Pacific allies of 'imminent' China threat; Beijing calls it 'groundless accusations'
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reassured allies in the Indo-Pacific on Saturday that they will not be left alone to face increasing military and economic pressure from China, while insisting that they also contribute more to their own defense. read more US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth delivers an address at the Shangri-La Dialogue Summit in Singapore on May 31, 2025.- AP US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth issued a stark warning on Saturday, stating that China is 'credibly preparing' to use military power to disrupt the current balance in Asia. He reaffirmed that the United States remains firmly committed to the region. Delivering his first remarks at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Asia's premier forum for defence leaders, militaries and diplomats, he underlined that the Indo-Pacific region was a priority for the Trump administration. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'There's no reason to sugar coat it. The threat China poses is real, and it could be imminent,' Hegseth said, in some of his strongest comments on the Communist nation since he took office in January. He added that any attempt by China to conquer Taiwan 'would result in devastating consequences for the Indo-Pacific and the world', and echoed Trump's comment that China will not invade Taiwan on the president's watch. China has a stated goal of ensuring its military is capable of taking Taiwan by force if necessary by 2027, a deadline that is seen by experts as more of an aspirational goal than a hard war deadline, he said. Hegseth also said that China also has built sophisticated, artificial islands in the South China Sea to support new military outposts and developed highly advanced hypersonic and space capabilities, which are driving the United States to create its own space-based 'Golden Dome' missile defenses. Hegseth also called out China for its ambitions in Latin America, particularly its efforts to increase its influence over the Panama Canal. He urged Indo-Pacific countries to increase defense spending to levels similar to the 5% of their gross domestic product European nations are now pressed to contribute. 'We must all do our part,' Hegseth said. 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. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD China views Taiwan as its own territory and has vowed to 'reunify' with the democratic and separately governed island, by force if necessary. It has stepped up military and political pressure to assert those claims, including increasing the intensity of war games around Taiwan. With inputs from agencies
Borneo Post
3 days ago
- Politics
- Borneo Post
Pentagon chief warns China is 'preparing' to use military force in Asia
Hegseth (left) is greeted by his Singaporean counterpart Chan Chun Sing at a ministerial roundtable during the Shangri-La Dialogue Summit in Singapore today. – AFP photo 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 today, 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 Asia China military Pete Hegseth Singapore US Secretary of Defense
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First Post
3 days ago
- Business
- First Post
Pentagon boss Pete Hegseth warns China is preparing to use military force to alter Asia's status quo
The Pentagon chief made the remarks at an annual security forum in Singapore, where he pressed US allies and partners in Asia to step up defence spending read more US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth delivers an address at the Shangri-La Dialogue Summit in Singapore on May 31, 2025. AFP US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth warned Saturday that China was 'credibly preparing to potentially use military force to alter the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific'. The Pentagon chief made the remarks at an annual security forum in Singapore, where he pressed US allies and partners in Asia to step up defence spending. 'The threat China poses is real and it could be imminent,' Hegseth said at the Shangri-La Dialogue, adding that Beijing 'hopes to dominate and control' Asia. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Beijing's military was building the capabilities to invade Taiwan, training every day and 'rehearsing for the real deal', he said. Citing stepped-up cooperation with allies including Japan and the Philippines, and a deepening military partnership with India, Hegseth said the United States was 'reorienting toward deterring aggression by communist China'. He called on Washington's allies and partners in the region to ramp up spending on their militaries in the face of the Chinese threat. 'It's hard to believe a little bit… that I'm saying this, but thanks to President Trump, Asian allies should look to countries in Europe for a newfound example,' Hegseth said, citing pledges by NATO members including Germany to move toward US President Donald Trump's spending target of five percent of GDP. 'Deterrence doesn't come on the cheap.'
