China has issued a stern warning to the United States following comments by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at a major security summit in Singapore, where he characterized China as a regional threat.
At the Shangri-La Dialogue on Saturday, Hegseth stated that China was “credibly preparing” for military action that could alter Asia’s power dynamics, specifically alleging that Beijing was rehearsing a potential invasion of Taiwan.
The comments triggered an immediate response from China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which emphasized that Taiwan is an internal Chinese matter and cautioned foreign nations against exploiting the issue. China considers Taiwan, which governs itself independently, to be part of its territory and has committed to reunification by force if necessary. Taiwan’s government disputes Beijing’s sovereignty claims, maintaining that only Taiwan’s residents can determine their future.
“The US should not entertain illusions about using the Taiwan question as a bargaining chip to contain China, nor should it play with fire,” the Chinese ministry stated, describing US activities in the Asia Pacific as creating a “powder keg” situation.
Hegseth had urged regional allies, including Australia, to increase defense spending in response to what he termed a “real and potentially imminent” threat from China.
Beijing countered by labeling the US as a “true destabilising” force in the Asia Pacific, accusing Washington of deploying offensive weapons in the South China Sea and intensifying regional tensions. The ministry accused Hegseth of promoting a “Cold War mentality” and “vilifying China with defamatory allegations.”
“Hegseth deliberately ignored the call for peace and development by countries in the region, and instead touted the Cold War mentality for bloc confrontation,” the ministry said, confirming it had filed a formal protest regarding what it characterized as “inflammatory rhetoric.”
China and the Philippines are engaged in territorial disputes over various islands and atolls in the South China Sea, with increasing maritime encounters between their coastguards as both nations patrol contested waters.
Beijing dismissed US assertions about threats to maritime navigation, claiming it consistently promotes dialogue for resolving regional disputes while protecting its territorial rights under international law.
“The US is the biggest factor undermining peace and stability in the South China Sea,” the Chinese statement declared.
Notably, China’s Defence Minister Dong Jun did not attend this year’s Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia’s leading security forum, with Beijing instead sending lower-ranking officials. This marked the first absence of China’s defense minister from the high-level regional defense discussions since 2019, excluding the 2020 and 2021 cancellations due to COVID-19.
These tensions occur against the backdrop of existing strain between the world’s two largest economic powers over ongoing trade disputes and tariff policies under the Trump administration.
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