US defense chief warns of 'imminent' China threat, urges allies to act

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told Indo-Pacific allies Saturday they won’t be left alone against growing military and economic pressure from China—but they must also boost their own defense efforts.

Hegseth said the U.S. will strengthen its overseas military presence to meet what the Pentagon sees as fast-growing threats from Beijing, especially China’s alleged aggressive moves toward Taiwan. Hegseth stated that China has run multiple exercises simulating a blockade of the self-governing island, which it claims as its own, while the U.S. has pledged to defend it.

He warned, “China’s army is rehearsing for the real deal. The threat China poses is real. And it could be imminent.”

China’s delegation head, Rear Adm. Hu Gangfeng, dismissed the accusations as “groundless,” saying some claims were fabricated or distorted and accused the U.S. of trying to stir up conflict in the Asia-Pacific region.

China aims to have the military capability to take Taiwan by force by 2027—a goal experts see as more aspirational than fixed. The country has also built advanced artificial islands in the South China Sea and developed hypersonic and space weapons, prompting the U.S. to develop space-based missile defenses called the “Golden Dome.”

Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue, Hegseth said China isn’t just building forces but is “actively training for it every day.” He also criticized China’s growing influence in Latin America, especially near the Panama Canal.

Hegseth urged Indo-Pacific nations to raise defense spending to about 5% of GDP, matching what European countries are now expected to contribute. “We must all do our part,” he said.

Afterwards, EU diplomat Kaja Kallas pushed back against Hegseth’s suggestion that Europe focus on its own defense and leave the Indo-Pacific mainly to the U.S., saying European and Asian security are “very much interlinked,” especially with North Korean troops fighting for Russia and China backing Moscow.

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