Hegseth focused his warning on Beijing’s stance toward Taiwan, making the stakes clear for the broader region. “To be clear: any attempt by Communist China to conquer Taiwan by force would result in devastating consequences for the Indo-Pacific and the world,” he said.

China has lashed out at U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth following his remarks at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, where he warned that China could imminently use military force against Taiwan.