China lodged a protest over Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s speech at a defense forum in Singapore on Saturday, even as Beijing chose not to send its top military diplomat to the annual event. Hegseth chided China during the Shangri-La Dialogue,

The defense secretary said Asia is the administration’s priority region.

China has accused the US of "fear-mongering" after Donald Trump’s defence secretary Pete Hegseth said a Chinese invasion of Taiwan could be imminent.China's foreign ministry objected to Mr Hegseth calling it a threat in the Indo-Pacific,

In his opening remarks, Hegseth warned China seeks no less than hegemony over the region and is increasingly willing to resort to force. He cited confrontations in the South China Sea, including incidents in which China's coast guard used water cannon against Philippine vessels, injuring several people last year.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Saturday in Singapore attempted to woo Asian defense leaders to Washington’s side as he warned of the “imminent” threat China poses to the Indo-Pacific region. Hegseth,

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has warned that China poses an "imminent" threat to Taiwan, urging Asian nations to increase their defence spending and collaborate with the United States to prevent conflict.

In a world rattled by President Trump’s tariffs and his scorn for Western allies, the defense secretary struck a rare note of continuity on security partnerships.