Tensions escalated between the U.S. and China over the weekend after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned of an “imminent” threat to Taiwan in a speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore. China, which declined to attend the forum, issued a forceful rebuke Sunday, accusing Hegseth of spreading a “Cold War mentality” and trying to “sow discord.”
Hegseth warned that China is “credibly preparing to potentially use military force to alter the balance of power” in the Indo-Pacific. “There’s no reason to sugarcoat it,” he said. “The threat China poses is real, and it could be imminent.”
In response, China’s Foreign Ministry condemned the remarks as “filled with provocations,” insisting Taiwan is “entirely China’s internal affair.” Beijing warned the U.S. to “never play with fire” and to stop “emboldening the ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist forces.”
Chinese officials also accused the U.S. of being the true hegemon in the region, citing military deployments and pressure on allies to increase defense spending. Hegseth, meanwhile, reaffirmed U.S. support for Indo-Pacific partners but called on them to “do their part.”
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