Hegseth Warns of ‘Devastating Consequences’ Should China Seek to ‘Conquer’ Taiwan
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Pentagon chief says China prepping military for Taiwan invasion, warns of devastating consequences in Asia
Pentagon chief says China prepping military for Taiwan invasion, warns of devastating consequences in Asia. US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, warned that China poses an “imminent” threat to Taiwan. Urged Asian countries to increase defence spending and deepen cooperation with the US to deter conflict. China has yet to respond to Heg seth’s comments on Taiwan, but has cancelled its scheduled speech for Sunday and sent only a low-level delegation to the summit in Singapore this year.
Singapore:
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has issued a stark warning about an “imminent” threat posed by China to Taiwan, calling on Asian nations to increase defence spending and strengthen cooperation with the United States to deter conflict.
Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue, a prominent annual defence summit in Singapore, Hegseth clarified that while the US does not aim to “dominate or strangle China,” it will not be forced out of Asia or allow its allies to be threatened.
His remarks come amid growing concern across the region about the possibility of instability should China move to invade Taiwan, a self-ruled island that Beijing claims as its own and has not ruled out seizing by force.
China has yet to respond to Hegseth’s comments on Taiwan.
China preparing to invade Taiwan: US
In his speech, Hegseth portrayed China as seeking regional dominance, accusing it of aiming to become a “hegemonic power” intent on controlling large parts of Asia.
He pointed to China’s territorial disputes in the South China Sea as evidence of its aggressive posture.
Basis of Pete Hegseth’s remarks
He warned that China is “credibly preparing to potentially use military force to alter the balance of power” in the region, citing a 2027 deadline that US officials believe President Xi Jinping has set for China’s military to be capable of invading Taiwan.
This timeline has been widely discussed by US defence officials, though it has never been officially confirmed by Beijing.
“China is building the military to do it, training for it every day, and rehearsing for the real deal,” Hegseth said.
“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 need to sugarcoat it. The threat China poses is real, and it could be imminent. We hope it isn’t, but it certainly could be.”
The Shangri-La Dialogue often serves as a platform for both the US and China to present their strategic positions to regional leaders. However, while the US has sent one of its largest delegations to the summit this year, China has sent only a low-level delegation and cancelled its scheduled speech for Sunday.
Pentagon boss Hegseth warns of ‘devastating’ consequences if China looks to ‘conquer’ Taiwan
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has vowed “devastating consequences” if China moves to “conquer” Taiwan. His comments appeared aimed at assuaging concerns in Asia about the nation’s commitment to preserving security in the region. China has claimed Taiwan as its territory, and it has refused to rule out using force to take control of the self-governed island.
The Pentagon’s chief’s comments appeared aimed at assuaging concerns in Asia about the nation’s commitment to preserving security in the region, The Wall Street Journal reported.
In what the Journal described as Hegseth’s “most assertive” comment so far on Taiwan, the defense secretary said threats to the island by China “could be imminent.”
The U.S. goal is to “prevent war” through deterrence with its allies. But if that fails, and “if called upon by my commander in chief, we are prepared to do what the Department of Defense does best, to fight and win decisively,” Hegseth said, according to the Journal.
Hegseth said the region is a “priority” for the Republican White House. He made his remarks at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, “a security conference attended by many top defense officials from Asian and Western countries,” according to the Journal.
“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. We are not going to sugarcoat it. The threat China poses is real. And it could be imminent,” Hegseth said without outlining what those consequences would be.
At the same time, he said that “Communist China will not invade Taiwan on [President Trump’s] watch.”
Hegseth didn’t offer details on how the U.S. might respond to Chinese aggression against Taiwan, according to the Journal. China has claimed Taiwan as its territory, and it has refused to rule out using force to take control of the self-governed island, the newspaper reported.
US defence chief warns China may invade Taiwan ‘imminently’ in stark message
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has warned that China poses an “imminent” threat to Taiwan. He urged Asian nations to increase their defence spending and collaborate with the United States to prevent conflict. China has yet to respond to Heg seth’s latest remarks. The Shangri-la Dialogue is a prominent annual defence summit in Singapore attended by top Asian military officials. This year, while the US sent one of its largest delegations ever, China opted for a notably low-level delegation.
Speaking at the Shangri-la Dialogue—a prominent annual defence summit in Singapore attended by top Asian military officials—Hegseth insisted that while the US does not “seek to dominate or strangle China,” it would not retreat from Asia nor permit intimidation of its regional allies.
The potential for instability if China invades Taiwan—a self-governing island claimed by Beijing, which has not ruled out using force—remains a significant concern across Asia. China has yet to respond to Hegseth’s latest remarks.
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In his speech, Hegseth described China as aspiring to become a “hegemonic power” aiming to “dominate and control too many parts” of Asia. He highlighted Beijing’s ongoing territorial disputes in the South China Sea and stated that China was “credibly preparing to potentially use military force to alter the balance of power” in the region.
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Referencing an alleged 2027 timeline reportedly set by President Xi Jinping for China’s military to be ready for a potential Taiwan invasion—a date cited by US officials but never confirmed by Beijing—Hegseth added that China “is building the military needed to do it, training for it, every day and rehearsing for the real deal.”
“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,” Hegseth stated. “There’s no reason to sugarcoat it. The threat China poses is real. And it could be imminent. We hope not but certainly could be.”
Traditionally, the Shangri-la Dialogue serves as a key venue for the US and China to present their positions to Asian nations while competing for influence. This year, while the US sent one of its largest delegations ever, China opted for a notably low-level delegation and cancelled its planned speech on Sunday without offering any explanation.
Pentagon chief warns of imminent China threat, asks Asian allies to spend more on defence
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned on Saturday that the threat from China was real and potentially imminent as he pushed allies in the Indo-Pacific to spend more on their own defence needs. “There’s no reason to sugar coat it. The threat China poses is real, and it could be imminent,” he said. China views Taiwan as its own territory and has vowed to “reunify” with the democratic and separately governed island, by force if necessary. China has stepped up military and political pressure to assert those claims, including increasing the intensity of war games around Taiwan. China’s Defence Minister Dong Jun has decided to skip the major Asian security forum in Singapore and Beijing has sent only an academic delegation. The Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia’s premier forum for defence leaders, militaries and diplomats, underlined that the region was a priority for the Trump administration. It was the first time that Heg seth had acknowledged that European countries were stepping up their defence spending. In February, he warned Europe against treating America like a “sucker”
Speech could cause consternation among allies
Pentagon chief has blasted European allies in past for not spending enough
SINGAPORE, May 31 (Reuters) – U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned on Saturday that the threat from China was real and potentially imminent as he pushed allies in the Indo-Pacific to spend more on their own defence needs.
Hegseth, speaking for the first time at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Asia’s premier forum for defence leaders, militaries and diplomats, underlined that the Indo-Pacific region was a priority for the Trump administration.
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“There’s no reason to sugar coat it. The threat China poses is real, and it could be imminent,” Hegseth said, in some of his strongest comments on the Communist nation since he took office in January. He added that any attempt by China to conquer Taiwan “would result in devastating consequences for the Indo-Pacific and the world”, and echoed Trump’s comment that China will not invade Taiwan on the president’s watch.
China views Taiwan as its own territory and has vowed to “reunify” with the democratic and separately governed island, by force if necessary. It has stepped up military and political pressure to assert those claims, including increasing the intensity of war games around Taiwan.
Taiwan’s government rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claims, saying only the island’s people can decide their future.
“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,” Hegseth said.
China said the comments “were steeped in provocations and instigation”.
“Mr. Hegseth repeatedly smeared and attacked China and relentlessly played up the so-called ‘China threat’,” the Chinese embassy in Singapore said on its Facebook page. “As a matter of fact, the U.S. itself is the biggest ‘troublemaker’ for regional peace and stability.”
Hegseth’s comments on allies needing to increase spending is likely to cause consternation amongst partners, even though experts said he faced a relatively friendly audience in Singapore. China’s Defence Minister Dong Jun has decided to skip the major Asian security forum and Beijing has sent only an academic delegation.
Hegseth has previously taken aim at allies in Europe for not spending more on their own defence. In February, he warned Europe against treating America like a “sucker” while addressing a press conference at NATO headquarters in Brussels.
On Friday, while delivering the keynote address at the Shangri-La Dialogue, French President Emmanuel Macron said Hegseth was justified in asking Europe to increase its own defence spending.
EUROPE STEPPING UP
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks at the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue security summit in Singapore, May 31, 2025. REUTERS/Edgar Su Purchase Licensing Rights , opens new tab
“It’s hard to believe, a little bit, after some trips to Europe that I’m saying this, but thanks to President Trump, Asian allies should look to countries in Europe as a new found example,” Hegseth said.
“NATO members are pledging to spend 5% of their GDP on defence, even Germany. So it doesn’t make sense for countries in Europe to do that while key allies in Asia spend less on defence in the face of an even more formidable threat, not to mention North Korea.”
Dutch Defence Minister Ruben Brekelmans said it was important to have Hegseth acknowledge that European countries were stepping up.
“It was for me maybe the first time or one of the first times I heard the U.S administration acknowledge this explicitly,” Brekelmans said, referring to Hegseth’s comments.
U.S. Democratic Senator Tammy Duckworth, who is co-leading a bi-partisan delegation to the Shangri-la Dialogue, said it was noteworthy that Hegseth emphasised that the United States was committed to the region, but his language on allies was not helpful.
“I thought it was patronising of our friends in the Indo-Pacific in particular,” Duckworth said.
Spending on weapons and research is spiking among some Asian countries as they respond to a darkening security outlook by broadening their outside industrial partnerships while trying to boost their own defence industries, according to a new study by the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies, the organisation that runs the Shangri-La Dialogue.
The spike comes even as Asian nations spent an average of 1.5% of GDP on defence in 2024, a figure that has kept relatively constant over the last decade, it said.
Hegseth suggested that allies in Europe focus on security on the European continent, so that Washington could focus on the threat posed by China in the Indo-Pacific, alongside more participation by allies in Asia.
“We would much prefer that the overwhelming balance of European investment be on that continent, so that as we partner there, which we will continue to do, we’re able to use our comparative advantage as an Indo-Pacific nation to support our partners here,” he said in response to a question after his speech.
Hegseth, a former Fox TV host who has spent much of his first months in office focused on domestic issues, spoke to the international audience on topics that he has frequently talked about when in the United States, like “restoring the warrior ethos.”
“We are not here to pressure other countries to embrace or adopt our politics or ideology. We are not here to preach to you about climate change or cultural issues,” Hegseth said. “We respect you, your traditions and your militaries. And we want to work with you where our shared interests align.”
Reporting by Idrees Ali. Additional reporting by Jun Yuan Yong and Fanny Potkin; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan and Shri Navaratnam
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Hegseth Vows US Support for Indo-Pacific Allies, Warns of ‘Imminent’ China Threat
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned of an imminent military threat from China. China is making credible preparations to use military force to change “the balance of power” in the Indo-Pacific, he said. Any attempt by Beijing to seize the democratically-ruled island could potentially result in “devastating consequences” for both the region and the world, he added. The Pentagon chief said that President Donald Trump has vowed not to allow China to invade Taiwan on his watch, calling on regional allies to work alongside the United States in efforts to prevent potential war. Earlier this month, he issued a memo ordering the Army to cut 1,000 jobs in what he called a “comprehensive transformation” to build a leaner and more lethal force that prioritizes defending the U.S. and deterring China.
Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Hegseth said that China is making credible preparations to use military force to change “the balance of power” in the Indo-Pacific, noting that while nobody knows what the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) will do in terms of Taiwan and its other neighbors in the Indo-Pacific, “the U.S. and its allies must nonetheless be ready with ‘urgency and vigilance.'”
The CCP, which has never ruled Taiwan, considers the self-governed island to be a renegade province and has never ruled out the possibility of using force to control it.
Hegseth warned that any attempt by Beijing to seize the democratically-ruled island could potentially result in “devastating consequences” for both the region and the world.
“There’s no reason to sugarcoat it: the threat China poses is real, and it could be imminent,” he said.
Hegseth urged Indo-Pacific nations to increase their defense spending to bolster military capabilities, citing NATO members’ commitment to spend 5 percent of their gross domestic product on defense.
“How can it make sense for countries in Europe to do that while key allies and partners in Asia spend far less in the face of a far more formidable threat from Communist China, not to mention North Korea,” he said.
Hegseth said the Trump administration aims to re-establish deterrence in the Indo-Pacific by enhancing its “forward force posture” in the Western Pacific, helping allies bolster their defense capabilities, and rebuilding its defense industrial bases.
The Pentagon chief said that President Donald Trump has vowed not to allow China to invade Taiwan on his watch, calling on regional allies to work alongside the United States in efforts to prevent potential war.
He reiterated that the United States has no intention of engaging in conflict with China. But Washington refused to “be pushed out of this critical region” and will not allow its allies to be subordinated, he added.
“Let me again be clear: The United States does not seek war. We do not seek to dominate or strangle China,” he stated. “But we must ensure that China cannot dominate us—or our allies and partners.”
Hegseth said that if deterrence fails, the United States “will be prepared to do what the Department of Defense does best—fight and win—decisively.”
Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun did not attend the security forum for unspecified reasons, but Beijing sent a delegation from the People’s Liberation Army National Defense University in his place.
Earlier this month, Hegseth issued a memo ordering the Army to cut 1,000 jobs in what he called a “comprehensive transformation” to build a leaner and more lethal force that prioritizes defending the United States and deterring China in the Indo-Pacific.
Hegseth stated in his memo that the Army must prioritize investments that align with the Trump administration’s strategy and ensure existing resources are utilized to enhance capabilities such as long-range precision fire, air and missile defense, cyber and electronic warfare, and counter-space capabilities.
The CCP has ramped up its military activity around Taiwan in recent years. In the face of an ongoing campaign of military intimidation, Taiwan’s Defense Ministry reported spotting 31 Chinese warplanes, nine vessels, and one official ship operating around the island on May 28. The ministry stated that 22 of the aircraft crossed the median line and entered Taiwan’s air defense identification zone, prompting Taiwan to deploy its aircraft to monitor their movement.
Beijing also asserted territorial claims over nearly the entire South China Sea, including reefs that overlap with the exclusive economic zones of Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, Taiwan, and the Philippines.
Katabella Roberts contributed to this report.