US Defense Secretary accuses China of seeking to dominate Asia

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth warned on Saturday that China is "clearly and confidently preparing to use military force to alter the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific region."

Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue, a key security forum held in Singapore, Hegseth said: “The threat posed by China is real, and it could be imminent,” adding that Beijing “hopes to dominate and control” Asia.

Hegseth cited Chinese President Xi Jinping’s directive for the People’s Liberation Army to be capable of invading Taiwan by 2027. “The PLA is building the military force to do that, and training for it every day as a real mission,” he said.

He urged US allies in Asia to significantly boost their defense spending in response to the growing Chinese threat.

Hegseth declared that the United States “is back” in the Indo-Pacific and emphasized, “We are here to stay,” calling the region a “priority theater” for US strategic interests.

Reassuring regional allies, he said Washington would not leave them alone in the face of mounting military and economic pressure from China. The Pentagon has warned that a potential conflict over Taiwan could be "imminent."

He noted that the US will enhance its overseas defense posture to counter what the Pentagon sees as rapidly evolving threats from China, particularly its aggressive stance toward Taiwan. China has conducted multiple military drills simulating a blockade of the self-governing island, which Beijing claims as its territory. The US has pledged to defend Taiwan.

“The Chinese military is training for real-world action… We won’t downplay it—the threat is real, and it could be imminent,” Hegseth said in his keynote speech. He stressed that China is not only mobilizing forces to seize Taiwan but also conducting daily exercises to that end.

China has publicly set 2027 as the target for having its military ready to take Taiwan by force if necessary—a deadline seen by experts as more aspirational than a firm timetable for war.

Hegseth also criticized China's ambitions in Latin America, particularly its efforts to expand influence over the Panama Canal. He called on countries in the region to raise defense spending to 5% of GDP—matching the level the US is urging European nations to meet for their own defense commitments.