U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth declared Saturday that the United States is prepared to "fight and win" against China if deterrence fails, while calling on Asian allies to sharply increase defense spending in the face of growing military threats in the Indo-Pacific. Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Hegseth delivered one of the most forceful warnings yet from the Trump administration, describing China as an imminent and destabilizing danger.
"There's no reason to sugar coat it. The threat China poses is real, and it could be imminent," Hegseth said. He warned that any attempt by China to seize Taiwan would "result in devastating consequences for the Indo-Pacific and the world."
Hegseth's remarks come amid Beijing's military expansion in the South China Sea and around Taiwan, including frequent air and naval operations intended to pressure the self-governed island. Taiwan's government rejects China's sovereignty claims, and the U.S. has long supported Taiwan with arms sales and diplomatic backing.
The Pentagon chief criticized the absence of China's Defense Minister Dong Jun, stating, "We are here this morning. Somebody else isn't." Beijing sent a lower-level delegation led by Major General Hu Gangfeng, marking the first time since 2019 its top military official has skipped the summit.
"China has demonstrated that it wants to fundamentally alter the region's status quo. We cannot look away and we cannot ignore it," said Hegseth. "Our defense spending must reflect the dangers and threats that we face today, because deterrence doesn't come on the cheap."
He also accused China of attempting to expand influence closer to U.S. territory. "China did not build that canal. We did, and we will not allow China to weaponize it or control it," Hegseth said, referring to the Panama Canal.
While pushing for increased military coordination, Hegseth also praised European allies for committing to raise defense spending. "NATO members are pledging to spend 5% of their GDP on defense, even Germany," he said. "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."
According to the International Institute for Strategic Studies, defense spending among Asian countries averaged just 1.5% of GDP in 2024, a figure largely unchanged for a decade.
Democratic Senator Tammy Duckworth, attending the forum as part of a bipartisan congressional delegation, criticized Hegseth's tone. "I thought it was patronizing of our friends in the Indo-Pacific in particular," she said.
Still, Hegseth doubled down on Washington's priority. "We would much prefer that the overwhelming balance of European investment be on that continent... so that we're able to use our comparative advantage as an Indo-Pacific nation to support our partners here."
As China ramps up pressure on Taiwan, the U.S. plans to authorize weapons packages exceeding $18.3 billion, surpassing those approved during the Biden administration. The new aid focuses on low-cost deterrents including drones, munitions, and missile systems.
In response, the Chinese Embassy in Singapore denounced Hegseth's statements as "steeped in provocations and instigation," calling the U.S. "the biggest troublemaker for regional peace and stability."
