U.S.-China Tensions Rise at Defense Dialogue

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth speaks during the Sharngri-La Dialogue in Singapore on May 31, 2025. Photo by Keiichiro Azuma / Yomiuri / The Yomiuri Shimbun via AFP

Global tensions ticked up this weekend as U.S. Secretary of State Pete Hegseth said China wants to “fundamentally alter” security relations in the Asia-Pacific region. Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on Saturday, Hegseth said possible Chinese action on Taiwan is “real and could be imminent.”

China’s Foreign Ministry hit back in a statement on Sunday, saying it “deplores” the comments and warned the U.S. to “never play with fire” on the Taiwan issue. The statement said: “No country in the world deserves to be called a hegemonic power other than the U.S. itself, which is also the primary factor undermining the peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific.”

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by CGSP Staff

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