Bangkok, 31 May 2025 (dpa/MIA) - US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Saturday warned of a rapidly growing threat from China in the Indo-Pacific region, saying that China is preparing to eventually invade Taiwan, but the United States will not allow its allies to be "subordinated."

The US is very closely monitoring Beijing's "destabilizing actions," Hegseth said in a speech on Saturday, the second day of the three-day Shangri-La Dialogue security conference in Singapore.

He warned of "catastrophic consequences" in the event of a Chinese attack on Taiwan, which China considers part of its territory, despite Taiwan having had an independent, democratically elected government for decades. The People's Republic aims to annex Taiwan and has already threatened military action if peaceful means fail.

Is an invasion imminent?

Unlike last year, Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun did not attend the conference. Observers believe Beijing deliberately avoided a potential meeting with Hegseth.

China is building a military it needs to invade Taiwan, Hegseth said. It is "training for it every day, and rehearsing for the real deal," the Pentagon chief said.

"There is no reason to sugarcoat it. The threat China poses is real and it could be imminent."

He stressed that it must be clear to everyone that Beijing is concretely preparing to use military force to alter the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific.

"We know, it's public, that [Chinese President] Xi [Jinping] has ordered his military to be capable of invading Taiwan by 2027."

US won't be "pushed out" of the region

Hegseth accused China of seeking to become the hegemonic power in Asia, aiming to dominate and control the entire region. He stated that the US does not seek conflict "with Communist China. We will not instigate nor seek to subjugate or humiliate," he added.

However the US "will not be pushed out of this critical region, and we will not let our allies and partners be subordinated and intimidated."

The conference in Singapore brought together hundreds of ministers, military officials and experts from around the world to discuss current crises and threats.

During the opening on Friday evening, French President Emmanuel Macron warned of a global divide caused by the great powers, the United States and China. He also called for closer cooperation between Europe and Asia and advocated for a "coalition of independence" based on universal values.

Photo: EPA