U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned that China's military attack on Taiwan "may be imminent" as he called on U.S. allies in the Indo-Pacific to increase defense spending to further deter Beijing.
Speaking at the defense forum on dialogues between IISS Shanghai-La in Singapore, Hegseth said China wants to become a hegemonic force in Asia and act in a way that responds to the urgent "wake up call".
"Any attempt by communist China to conquer Taiwan will have devastating consequences for the Indo-Pacific and the world," he said.
"There is no reason to add sugar to it. The threat posed by China is real. It may be imminent. We hope not, but certainly can."
U.S. intelligence officials and military officers said President Xi Jinping has told the Chinese military to develop its ability to invade Taiwan by 2027. But despite growing concerns about China's rapid military rise, most officials stressed that the attack was not imminent.
Hegseth said on his second trip to Asia as defense minister that allies and partners in the region should follow “new discoveries” from Europe to increase defense spending, saying “time is crucial”.
“For European countries, it doesn’t make sense to face a stronger threat in Asia (from China), not to mention the North Korean threat.”
One strategic advantage of the United States is its network of allies, but they need to invest more, Heggs said. He said U.S. allies in the Indo-Pacific region should quickly upgrade their defense capabilities.
He added that no one would doubt the U.S. commitment to the Indo-Pacific allies. “We will continue to wrap our arms around our friends and find new ways to work together.”
U.S. President Donald Trump is committed to "achieving peace through power." He said this was first to stop aggression in the Indo-Pacific region of the “priority theater” in the United States.
When he accused Joe Biden of weakening the United States, many of the Asia-centric military initiatives he described seemed to be a continuation of the policies proposed by the former president.
In his first major speech as Secretary of Defense, Hegseth said the United States “does not seek conflict with China” but “will not make our allies and partners obey.”
He said China is using its cyber capabilities to attack critical infrastructure in the United States and elsewhere and harassing neighbors, including Taiwan, in the South China Sea.
"Xi Jinping has ordered his army to prepare for the invasion of Taiwan between 2027 and 2027. (People's Liberation Army) is building the required army, training for this every day, and rehearsing for the real deal."
Hegseth faced threats from China, saying many countries were “attracted by the idea of seeking economic cooperation with China and the idea of defence cooperation with the United States.”
But he warned that the economic dependence on China “complexes our decision-making space in times of tension or conflict.”
Hegseth spoke on the second day of a “coalition of action” between Asia and Europe amid rising competition between the United States and China.
Unlike in recent years, China has not sent its defense minister to the forum. Hegseth highlighted the U.S. commitment to the Indo-Pacific: “We’re here this morning, and others aren’t,” referring to Chinese Defense Secretary Admiral Dunn.