Latest news with #Shangri-laDialogue
Sky News AU
2 hours ago
- Business
- Sky News AU
Albanese ‘rules out' increase to defence spending despite ‘grave concerns'
Sky News host Sharri Markson says Anthony Albanese is 'refusing to commit' to boosting Australia's defence spending despite an urgent call from US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth. The United States has called on Australia to boost its military budget to 3.5 per cent of GDP 'as soon as possible', but Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has refused to change his policy position. 'Hegseth delivered this message to Defence Minister Richard Marles directly at a meeting in Singapore, and gave these pointed remarks in his speech to the Shangri-la Dialogue,' 'Marles indicated he was willing to discuss this – but Albanese has ruled it out.'
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Pete Hegseth calls on Asia to boost military spending in face of ‘imminent' threat from China
The US secretary of defence has called on Asian countries to boost their military spending to increase regional deterrence against China, which was 'rehearsing for the real deal' when it comes to taking over Taiwan. Pete Hegseth, addressing the Shangri-la Dialogue in Singapore on Saturday, reiterated pledges to increase the US presence in the Indo-Pacific and outlined a range of new joint projects, including expanding access to military ship and plane repair, including in Australia. 'US allies in the Indo-Pacific can and should upgrade their own defences,' Hegseth said. 'It has to be clear to all that Beijing is credibly preparing to potentially use military force to alter the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific … There's no reason to sugar coat it. The threat China poses is real, and it could be imminent.' Related: Taiwan president calls for peace and dialogue with China amid heightened military activity He said Donald Trump's administration had pushed European countries to boost their defensive spending, taking on a greater 'burden' of responding to conflicts in their region, and it was time for Asian nations to do the same. Hegseth, who in March was revealed to have told a Signal group chat that Europe was 'pathetic' and 'freeloading' on US security support in the region, told the Singapore conference it was 'hard to believe' he was now saying this, but Asian countries should 'look to allies in Europe as a newfound example'. 'Deterrence doesn't come on the cheap … time is of the essence.' A new study by the organisation running the Singapore event, the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies, found that Asian spending on weapons and research is currently spiking, on top of what it said was a relatively consistent annual average spend of 1.5% of GDP. Hegseth said the renewed European focus on their region – particularly the Russia-Ukraine war – allowed the US to shift focus to its 'priority theatre' in the Indo-Pacific. Hegseth said the US did not seek to 'pressure' Asian countries to 'embrace or adopt policies or ideologies', but instead wanted to 'work with you where our shared interests align for peace and prosperity'. 'We're not here to preach to you about climate change or cultural issues,' he said. 'But a threat gathers. 'We do not seek conflict with Communist China. We will not seek to instigate, subjugate or humiliate China. President Trump and US have an immense respect for China and their civilisation. But we will not be pushed out of this critical region.' In his speech Hegseth also took a swipe at the absence of any senior Chinese delegate at this year's conference. 'We are here this morning and, notably, someone else isn't,' he said. Hegseth also appeared to reference comments by the French president, Emmanuel Macron, at the conference on Friday that a 'sense that [the US's] promise might not be so ironclad is ushering in a new instability'. Related: Europe and Asia should form 'positive new alliance', says Macron in Singapore 'An alliance cannot be ironclad if in reality or perception it is one-sided,' Hegseth said on Saturday. 'As allies share the burden we can increase our focus on the Indo-Pacific, our priority theatre.' He said the US would conduct its 'first-ever live-fire test of its mid-range capability system in Australia' in coming months, and had expanded cooperations and joint exercises. It would also establish repair capability and capacity programs in the region, including for P-8 radar systems in Australia for the US and its allies, while expanding contracts for regional ship repair. Hegseth's speech reiterated much of the Trump administration's defence and security position – blaming the previous administration for problems, pledging to strengthen the US military and secure the US border against unregulated immigration, while repeating plans to 'take back the Panama canal'. He said Trump was spending $1tn – a 13% increase – on defence next year, citing advance weapons plans including the controversial Golden Dome. Speaking in Singapore after Hegseth's address, US Democratic senator Tammy Duckworth told reporters – including the Guardian – that his comments about the US remaining in the Indo-Pacific region were welcome but he found his words 'patronising of our friends in the Indo-Pacific in particular'. 'I've gotta say his idea that we're going to wrap ourselves around you – we don't need that kind of language. We just need to stand together,' Duckworth said. 'The US is not asking people to choose between the US and [China] … But we will make sure international norms are maintained and ask our friends to help us uphold them.' Duckworth, who is co-leading a bi-partisan delegation which also visited Taiwan, said the Trump administration 'acts very quickly, but very incompetently'. 'The point I'm making on this trip is that it's not just about secretary Hegseth and the Trump administration,' she said. 'Bipartisan support for the Indo Pacific in the legislature is actually growing.'
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
China accuses Pete Hegseth of sowing division in Asia in speech ‘filled with provocations'
China's government has accused Pete Hegseth of trying to 'sow division' in the Asia Pacific region over his speech at a Singapore defence conference where he warned China was a potentially 'imminent' threat. On Saturday Hegseth said China was 'credibly preparing to potentially use military force to alter the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific', and was rehearsing for 'the real deal' of invading Taiwan. 'There's no reason to sugar coat it. The threat China poses is real, and it could be imminent,' the US defence secretary said in a keynote address at the Shangri-la Dialogue defence forum, calling for Asian countries to increase defence spending. On Sunday, China's ministry of foreign affairs condemned his words, which it said were 'filled with provocations and intended to sow division'. Related: Pete Hegseth calls on Asia to boost military spending in face of 'imminent' threat from China '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',' it said. 'The remarks were filled with provocations and intended to sow division. China deplores and firmly opposes them and has protested strongly to the US.' The statement also pushed back at Hegseth's claim that China was trying to become a 'hegemonic power' in the region. 'No country in the world deserves to be called a hegemonic power other than the US itself, who is also the primary factor undermining the peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific,' it said. The ministry accused Hegseth of 'playing with fire' with what it calls 'the Taiwan question'. China's ruling Communist party (CCP) claims Taiwan is a province of China, illegally run by separatists, and has vowed to annex it. Taiwan's democratically elected government and the majority of its people reject the prospect of CCP rule. Speaking to reporters on Sunday morning, Australia's defence minister, Richard Marles, rejected the premise of China's criticism of Hegseth. 'What we have seen from China is the single biggest increase in military capability and buildup in a conventional sense by any country since the end of the second world war,' he said. 'That is one of the key features of the complexity of the strategic landscape which all of us face within the region and which is faced around the world.' Marles said Australia had worked with regional partners including the US and the Philippines 'over a long period of time to uphold the global rules-based order', including freedom of navigation operations to assert the UN convention on the law of the sea. The US is not a signatory to that convention. The Shangri-la Dialogue is an annual conference that hosts dozens of leaders, defence ministers and military chiefs from around the world, for three days of panel discussions and speeches. But much of the significant interactions occur on the sidelines, with private meetings between representatives. Past years have often seen the US and China trade barbs, but also occasionally hold significant meetings, including last year with China's defence minister, Dong Jun, and Hegseth's predecessor, Lloyd Austin. This year, however, China sent only a small delegation led by a vice-president of the People's Liberation Army's national defence university, Rear Adm Hu Gangfeng. On Saturday afternoon Hu told a panel, which included the head of the British armed forces, that speakers had attempted to 'provoke, split and instigate confrontations in the region' with criticisms of China. Related: 'We'll determine our defence policy': Albanese responds to US push for huge rise in spending as it stokes China fears He said the maritime situation in the region was 'generally stable' but faced 'severe challenges', and accused unnamed countries of increasing military presences and infringing on territorial sovereignty of others 'in the name of so-called freedom of navigation' and supporting 'Taiwan independence separatist forces'. China claims much of the South China Sea, where there are overlapping claims of sovereignty among several countries. It has rejected a ruling by The Hague that its claims are unlawful. Later on Sunday, Singapore's defence minister, Chan Chun Sing, told a panel that it was crucial China and the world properly understand each other. Referencing China's absence, Chan said Beijing should use 'every opportunity' available to get its position across. 'But regardless of whether China attends the [dialogue], it is incumbent on all of us to reach out to China in different forums … to not end up in a situation where either side misinterprets, miscalculates, or misrepresents each other's position. That is dangerous.'
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Trump news at a glance: Hegseth warns of ‘imminent' China threat, urging Asia to upgrade militaries
Pete Hegseth has called on Asian countries to increase their military spending to increase regional deterrence against China which was 'rehearsing for the real deal' of taking over Taiwan. The US defense secretary, addressing the Shangri-la Dialogue in Singapore on Saturday, reiterated pledges to increase the US presence in the Indo-Pacific and outlined a range of new joint projects. 'It has to be clear to all that Beijing is credibly preparing to potentially use military force to alter the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific,' Hegseth said. 'There's no reason to sugar coat it. The threat China poses is real, and it could be imminent.' Hesgeth said Donald Trump's administration had pushed European countries to boost their defensive spending, taking on a greater 'burden' of responding to conflicts in their region, and it was time for Asian nations to do the same. The defense secretary, who in March was revealed to have told a Signal group chat that Europe was 'pathetic' and 'freeloading' on US security support in the region, told the Singapore conference it was 'hard to believe' he was now saying this but Asian countries should 'look to allies in Europe as a newfound example'. 'Deterrence doesn't come on the cheap … time is of the essence.' Read the full story If you want a bellwether to measure the broad impact of Donald Trump's tariffs on the economy, look to the state of Georgia. So far, it's a mixed bag. The hospitality industry is facing an existential crisis and wine merchants wonder if they will survive the year. But others, like those in industrial manufacturing, carefully argue that well-positioned businesses will profit. Read the full story Australia's trade minister, Don Farrell, has described Donald Trump's trade tariffs as 'unjustified and not the act of a friend' after the US president announced he would double import duties on steel and aluminium to 50%. 'They are an act of economic self-harm that will only hurt consumers and businesses who rely on free and fair trade,' Farrell said. Read the full story US immigration authorities are collecting and uploading the DNA information of migrants, including children, to a national criminal database, according to government documents released earlier this month. The database includes the DNA of people who were either arrested or convicted of a crime, which law enforcement uses when seeking a match for DNA collected at a crime scene. But most of the people whose DNA has been collected by Customs and Border Patrol (CBP), the agency that published the documents, were not listed as having been accused of any felonies. Read the full story Workers at the US Department of Energy say cuts and deregulations are undermining the ability for the department to function and will result in significant energy cost hikes for consumers. Donald Trump's 'big, beautiful bill' will raise energy costs for American households by as much as 7% in 2035 due to the repeal of energy tax credits and could put significant investment and energy innovation at risk, according to a report by the Rhodium Group. Read the full story As the first Pride month under Donald Trump's second presidency approaches, LGBTQ+ businesses are stepping up, evolving quickly to meet the community's growing concerns. The Guardian spoke with four queer business owners, and one message was clear: queer businesses are here to support the community now more than ever and spread joy as resistance. Read the full story Tensions among Bruce Springsteen's fanbase have spread to his home state of New Jersey because of what the rock icon has said about Donald Trump. Springsteen has long been a balladeer of the state's blue-collar workers. But last year many of those same workers voted for the president. Now their split loyalties are being put to the test. Read the full story An undocumented man who was accused by the Department of Homeland Security secretary last week of threatening to assassinate Donald Trump may have been framed by someone accused of previously attacking the man, according to news reports. As the Trump administration continues to exploit antisemitism to arrest protesters and curb academic freedoms, more American Jews are saying 'not in my name'. Catching up? Here's what happened on 30 May 2025.
Straits Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
While You Were Sleeping: 5 stories you might have missed, June 1, 2025
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth speaking at this year's Shangri-la Dialogue on May 31. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM While You Were Sleeping: 5 stories you might have missed, June 1, 2025 China says US 'should not play with fire' on Taiwan China on June 1 warned the United States it 'should not play with fire' over Taiwan and said it had lodged 'representations' with Washington over comments made by Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth at a summit in Singapore. The US Secretary of Defence used his speech at an annual security forum on May 31 to warn that China was 'credibly preparing' to use military force to upend the balance of power in Asia. He added that the Chinese military was building the capabilities to invade Taiwan and 'rehearsing for the real deal'. In a statement released just after midnight, China's foreign ministry said it had 'lodged solemn representations with the US side' over Mr Hegseth's comments, adding that it 'strongly deplores' his remarks. READ MORE HERE Europe rejects Pentagon chief's call to limit role in Asia Europe's top diplomat Kaja Kallas has rejected calls from the United States that the continent should limit its role in Asia, saying that the security theatres of the Indo-Pacific and Europe are intimately connected. US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth had suggested at the Shangri-La Dialogue that allies in Europe focus on security in Europe, so that Washington could focus on Asia. Speaking to The Straits Times on May 31 hours after the Pentagon chief's speech, Ms Kallas pushes back against this notion. READ MORE HERE Hamas seeks 'unacceptable' changes to US Gaza proposal Hamas said on May 31 it was seeking amendments to a US-backed proposal for a temporary ceasefire with Israel in Gaza, but President Donald Trump's envoy rejected the group's response as 'totally unacceptable.' The Palestinian militant group said it was willing to release 10 living hostages and hand over the bodies of 18 dead in exchange for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons. But Hamas reiterated demands for an end to the war and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza - conditions Israel has rejected. A Hamas official described the group's response to the proposals from Mr Trump's special Middle East envoy, Mr Steve Witkoff, as 'positive' but said it was seeking some amendments. READ MORE HERE Musk denies ketamine use following New York Times report Billionaire Elon Musk said that he is not using the drug ketamine, disputing a report by the New York Times that alleged extensive use of that and other drugs. 'I tried *prescription* ketamine a few years ago and said so on X, so this not even news. It helps for getting out of dark mental holes, but haven't taken it since then,' Mr Musk posted on X, adding that the newspaper was 'lying.' Mr Musk, who had been working as a close adviser to President Donald Trump in his efforts to cut government spending, stepped away from that role on May 30. READ MORE HERE Brilliant PSG win first Champions League title Paris Saint-Germain won the Champions League for the first time in their history, as Luis Enrique's brilliant young side outclassed Inter Milan on May 31 in the most one-sided final ever as teenager Desire Doue scored twice in an astonishing 5-0 victory. Achraf Hakimi, playing against his former club, gave PSG an early lead and Doue went from provider to finisher as his deflected shot doubled their advantage in the 20th minute. Doue scored again just after the hour mark, ending any doubt about the outcome before Khvicha Kvaratskhelia ran away to get the fourth and substitute Senny Mayulu made it five. READ MORE HERE Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
