Bangkok, May 31 (EFE).- US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on Saturday called for Indo-Pacific countries to “do their part” to increase military spending, warning of an “imminent threat” from China.
The Pentagon chief was speaking in Singapore at the Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia’s most important security forum, which will run until Sunday.
“Let me begin by saying, we do not seek conflict with Communist China. We will not instigate, nor seek to subjugate or humiliate (…) But we will not be pushed out of this critical region. And we will not let our allies and partners be subordinated and intimidated,” Hegseth said.
“China seeks to become the hegemonic power in Asia, no doubt. It hopes to dominate and control too many parts of this vibrant and vital region. Through its massive military build-up and growing willingness to use military force to achieve its goals … China has demonstrated that it wants to fundamentally alter the region’s status quo.
“We cannot look away and we cannot ignore it. China’s behavior towards its neighbors and the world is a wake-up call. And an urgent one,” he said, referring to Beijing’s operations in the South China Sea and in Taiwan, a self-governed island against which it has not ruled out “reunification” by force.
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. We know, it’s public, that Xi (Jinping) has ordered his military to be capable of invading Taiwan by 2027″ and that the Chinese army “is rehearsing for the real deal.”
He also warned the Asian giant presents an “imminent” security threat.
“Let me be clear: any attempt by Communist China to conquer Taiwan by force would result in devastating consequences for the Indo-Pacific and the world. There’s no reason to sugarcoat it. The threat China poses is real, and it could be imminent,” he said.
While presenting Washington’s plan to its regional allies, he alluded to the absence of Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun from the forum, an unusual and unexplained decision by Beijing.
“We are here this morning and, notably, someone else isn’t,” he said.
The Chinese Defense Ministry announced Thursday that a delegation from the National Defense University would attend Shangri-La instead of Dong. Usually it sends the minister, who meets on the sidelines of the forum with the Pentagon chief.
“Our goal is to prevent war (…) And we will do this with a strong shield of deterrence forged together with you – America’s great allies and partners.”
Hegseth also reaffirmed US commitment to defending the Indo-Pacific, where countries such as the Philippines, Japan, South Korea and Australia depend on their security alliances with Washington.
“America first does not mean America alone (…) We ask, and indeed, we insist that our allies and partners do their part on defense,” he said, in a long-awaited reminder to his partners to invest more.
“Our defense spending reflects the dangers and threats we face today because deterrence does not come cheap… Time is of the essence. We must step up and move out with a sense of urgency.”
Hegseth also announced plans to conduct its “first-ever live-fire test of its mid-range capability system in Australia,” deploy the NMESIS anti-ship missile system in the Philippines, and develop missile defense technologies and data-sharing partnerships with Japan and Australia, as examples of Washington’s commitment to the region.
The forum continues until Sunday in the Asian city-state, with defense representatives from some 40 countries in attendance. EFE
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