On Saturday, Pete Hegseth, the U.S. Pentagon chief, said America is ready to fight and win if a conflict with China happens. He also asked Asian countries that are U.S. allies to work better together and spend more money on their military.
Hegseth spoke at the Shangri-La Dialogue, a big defense meeting in Singapore. He said the U.S. is serious about protecting the Indo-Pacific region, especially as there are fights happening around the world, like the war in Ukraine and the conflict in Gaza.
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He also pointed out that China’s defense minister was missing from the meeting. “We are here this morning. Somebody else isn’t,” Hegseth said, hinting at China’s absence.
Hegseth warned that China is trying to change the current situation in the region by using military pressure, especially near the South China Sea and Taiwan. He said everyone should take this threat seriously.
He told the leaders at the meeting that allies must spend more on defense because stopping conflict (deterrence) is not cheap.
The strong words come as tensions between the U.S. and China are rising, especially over trade talks, which have slowed down.
China’s actions in the South China Sea threaten the freedom to sail and fly there. Its military moves near Taiwan show it wants to increase pressure on the island.
Hegseth also said the U.S. will work to stop China from having too much influence near the Panama Canal, which the U.S. built and controls.
In March, China said it is ready to fight any type of war with the U.S., whether it’s a trade war or other conflicts.
China Skips Top Security Meeting
China’s Defense Minister, Dong Jun, did not attend the summit this year. Instead, China sent a lower-ranking official, Major General Hu Gangfeng.
This is the first time since 2019 that China’s top military leader missed this important meeting.
Because of this, it’s unclear if U.S. and Chinese defense officials will meet privately this year. Last year, the U.S. and China had a meeting during the summit to keep military talks going.
Experts think China might be avoiding the meeting to prevent public arguments with the U.S. about Taiwan and the South China Sea.
A former U.S. defense official said China prefers to handle disagreements quietly and doesn’t want to be seen as fighting publicly.
China also prefers other meetings without the U.S. to build ties with other countries, according to a Chinese expert.
The Taiwan Issue
The U.S. plans to increase arms sales to Taiwan, giving the island more weapons like missiles and drones. This is more than what was approved during Trump’s and Biden’s presidencies.
The goal is to help Taiwan defend itself better because China is putting more military pressure on the island.
The U.S. has been supporting Taiwan with weapons for many years, but China wants Taiwan back and says it will use force if needed.
Taiwan disagrees and wants to remain independent. China often sends military planes and ships close to Taiwan to show its power.
Last year, China’s Defense Minister warned that anyone trying to separate Taiwan from China would face serious consequences.
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There are also concerns about former President Trump’s promises to Taiwan during his campaign, as he suggested Taiwan should pay more for U.S. protection and criticized Taiwan’s semiconductor industry.
