US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has warned that Taiwan faces an imminent threat from China. Speaking at the Shangri-la Dialogue in Singapore, Mr Hegseth warned that China is seeking to become a hegemonic power, hoping to dominate and control too many parts of Asia.
Claiming that President Xi Jinping has allegedly given the Chinese military a 2027 deadline for invading Taiwan, the US Secretary of Defence urged the Asian countries to boost defence spending and work with America to deter war. He claimed that Beijing was preparing to potentially use military force to alter the balance of power in Asia.
Mr. Hegseth claimed that China is not only building its military capability but is also training for the real action against Taiwan. He, however, maintained that the US does not seek to dominate or strangle China. He added that the US does not seek a war or conflict with China.
In response, China accused the US of being the biggest troublemaker for regional peace. In a post on Facebook, the Chinese embassy in Singapore termed Mr Hegseth’s remark provocative and instigating. The Chinese embassy said what the US now offers the most to the world is uncertainty. Taiwan is a self-governing island, claimed to be its own by China. Notably, China has not ruled out using force to capture Taiwan.
