The United States Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegesh, warned on Saturday that China was “preparing in a credible way” to use military force to fly the balance of power in Asia, promising that the United States was “here to stay” in the region.
The head of the Pentagon made the comments on an annual security forum in Singapore when the administration of US President Donald Trump addresses Beijing about trade, technology and influence on the strategic corners of the world.
The China Embassy in Singapore launched the speech, accusing Washington to grow tensions in the region and “benefit from creating war risks.”
Trump has launched a commercial war with China since he assumed the position in January, has tried to stop his access to key technologies of AI and deep security ties with allies such as the Philippines, which is dedicated to increasing territorial disputes with Beijing.
“The threat that China represents is real and could be imminent,” Hegseth said in the Shangri-the dialogue attended by defense officials around the world. Beijing is “preparing in a credible way to potentially use military force to alter the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific,” he said.
Hegesh warned that the Chinese army was building the capacities to invade Taiwan and “rehearse for the real business.”
China has increased military pressure on Taiwan and has performed large -scale exercises around the island that are often described as preparations for blocking or invasion.
The United States was “reor
‘Problem Rebo’
Hegseth described China’s behavior as a “call of attention”, accusing Beijing of endangering lives with cyber attacks, harassing their neighbors and “illegally confiscated and militarized lands” in the disputed sea of southern China.
Beijing affirms almost the entire river route, through which more than 60 percent of global maritime trade passes, despite an international decision that his statement has no merit.
He has repeatedly faced the Philippines in strategic waters in recent months, with Flashpoint to master discussions in the Singapore forum, according to US officials.
While Hegesh spoke in Singapore, the Chinese army announced that his Navy and the Air Force were carrying out “routine combat preparation patrols” around Scarborough Shoal, a chain of reefs and rocks disputes with the Philippines.
The forceful direction of Hegseth caused a critical reaction of the Chinese embassy in the city-state.
“The speech is immersed in provocations and instigations,” the embassy wrote on its Facebook page. “Mr. Heghseth repeatedly joined and attacked China and relentlessly played the so -called ‘threat of China,” said the statement, accusing the United States of being the “greatest uprising” in the region.
Beijing did not send any official of the senior officials of the Ministry of Defense to the Summit, sending instead a delegation of the University of National Defense of the Popular Army of Liberation led by the Comptroller Hu Gangfeng.
Without referring to Hegseth by name, Hu said of his speech that “these actions are essentially tried to cause problems, create division, incite confrontation and destabilize Asia and Pacific.”
Hegesh’s comments occurred after Trump fueled the new commercial tensions with China, arguing that Beijing had “violated” an agreement to reduce rates when the two parties seemed blocked in the negotiations.
The two largest economies in the world had agreed to temporarily reduce the water and water rates that had been imposed, stopping them for 90 days.
‘You can’t master’
When reassuring United States allies on Saturday, Hegseth said that the Asia-Pacific region was “US priority theater”, committing to make sure “China cannot master us, or our allies and partners.”
He said that the United States had intensified cooperation with allies, including the Philippines and Japan, and reiterated Trump’s vote that “China will not invade [Taiwan] on your watch. “
However, he asked American partners in the region to increase spending on their military and “quickly update their own defenses.”
“Asian allies should look for a new example in Europe,” said Hegseth, citing promises from NATO members, including Germany, to move towards the 5 percent Trump defense spending target of 5 percent of GDP. “Dysmasion is not cheap.”
