Hegseth reassures allies that US will support them against Chinese aggression

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reaffirmed in a speech in Singapore on Saturday that the United States will continue to support U.S allies in the Indo-Pacific region against Chinese aggression as he warned that Chinese military action against Taiwan could be "imminent."

Hegseth made his remarks in a speech at the annual Shangri-La Dialogue, which is organized by the International Institute for Security Studies and is a high-profile gathering of regional and international security leaders.

His remarks laid out how the Trump administration sees the Indo-Pacific region as a "priority theater" and how the U.S. is prepared to stand by allies in a region where China continues to carry out aggressive military actions, particularly against Taiwan and the Philippines.

"We do not seek conflict with Communist China. We will not instigate nor seek to subjugate or humiliate," Hegseth said. "President Trump and the American people have immense respect for the Chinese people and their civilization, but we will not be pushed out of this critical region. And we will not let our allies and partners be subordinated and intimidated."

In recent years China has invested heavily in building up its military and increased its naval and air presence around Taiwan, engaging in almost daily harassment of Taiwan's borders -- raising concerns that it is preparing to retake by force the island nation it considers a breakaway province.

"Nobody knows what China will ultimately do," said Hegseth. "But they are preparing and we must, therefore, be ready as well. Urgency and vigilance is our only option."

"We are preparing for war, to deter war — to achieve peace through strength," Hegseth added. "And we look to you — our allies and partners — to join us in this important work. Our time is now. The threats we face will not wait. Nor can we."

"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," said Hegseth who stressed that China may be ready to act sooner than the 2027 deadline that China's President Xi Jinping had set for China's military to be prepared for possible action against Taiwan.

"There is no reason to sugarcoat it. The threat China poses is real. And it could be imminent -- we hope not, but it certainly could be," said Hegseth.

China has also increased tensions with the Philippines where Chinese military vessels regularly harass Philippine ships operating in the international waters of the South China Sea as it continues to assert its territorial claims in the region.

Relations between the U.S. and China have also soured following Trump's announcement of steep tariffs on Chinese imports that led China to announce reciprocal tariffs. Both sides have since entered into a shaky temporary agreement to lower their tariffs.

In his remarks, Hegseth said the Trump administration was pursuing a "common sense" approach to reestablishing deterrence that includes increasing the U.S. military presence in the western Pacific, "helping allies and partners strengthen their defense capabilities, and by rebuilding our defense industrial bases."

Hegseth encouraged Asian countries to follow the example of NATO nations that have made commitments to increase their military spending to 5% of their gross domestic product as the Trump administration has stated that it wants them to take more ownership of their security commitments in Europe.

"President Trump and I will be counting on you in this room -- our allies and partners -- to be force multipliers of peace alongside the United States," Hegseth said. "We ask — and indeed, we insist — that our allies and partners do their part on defense."

He added, "Sometimes, this means having uncomfortable and tough conversations. Partners owe to it to each other to be honest and realistic. This is the essence of a pragmatic, common-sense foreign policy."

Hegseth emphasized that the administration's approach does not mean that America's allies will have to go it alone in potential military actions.

"You will also see that we are -- and will remain -- loyal to our allies and partners. In fact, the only way to ensure lasting alliances and partnerships is to make sure each side does its part," he said.

Hegseth added, "We will stand with you and beside you to deter Chinese aggression," said Hegseth.

The forum is sometimes an opportunity for high-level meetings between top U.S. and Chinese defense leaders during times of rising tension. But in an apparent snub, China's defense minister did not attend this year's forum and instead China was represented by a delegation from its National Defense University.

"We can't account for whether or not China is here or not, but we're glad we are, and we think it makes the region more stable and more peaceful," Hegseth told reporters when asked to comment on China's decision.

China's rising aggression in the region has been a major topic of the conference that included an opening address by French President Emmanuel Macron, who has been touring of Southeast Asian nations to stress France's role in the region.

On Friday night, Hegseth sat in the audience as Macron stressed the importance of a new alliance between European and Asian nations to avoid becoming "collateral victims of decisions made by superpowers" -- a reference to the United States and China.

Macron cautioned against a loss of credibility for the international-rules based order if it is applied differently by the U.S. with regard to China while it attempts to resolve the war in Ukraine by allowing Russia to keep seized Ukrainian territory as the Trump administration has proposed.

"If we consider that Russia could be allowed to take a part of the territory of Ukraine without any restriction, without any constraint, without any reaction of the global order, how would you phrase what could happen in Taiwan?" Macron said. "What would you do the day something happens in the Philippines?"

"What is at stake in Ukraine is our common credibility, that we are still able to preserve territorial integrity and sovereignty of people," said Macron. "No double standards."