Hegseth focused his warning on Beijing’s stance toward Taiwan, making the stakes clear for the broader region. “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,” he said.

The US defence secretary called on Asian countries to boost defence spending and work with the US to deter war.

China blasted U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth‘s speech at a defense forum in Singapore over the weekend, accusing him of trying “to sow discord” after he warned of a potentially “imminent” threat to Taiwan.