U.S. Signals Shift in Tone on China at Defense Gathering

U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth speaks during the 23rd Shangri-La Dialogue summit in Singapore on May 30, 2026. (Photo by JAM STA ROSA / AFP)

U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth drew much commentary at the Shangri-La Dialogue, an annual high-level gathering in Singapore focusing on Asia-Pacific defense issues, with a speech that seemed to shift the usual U.S. talking points on China.

Hegseth was the first Pentagon chief in more than a decade not to mention U.S. support for Taiwan. This follows the recent Xi-Trump summit, where China’s leader told the U.S. president that a dispute over Taiwan could lead to “clashes” between the superpowers. Trump had also called a planned $14 billion arms package to Taiwan “a bargaining chip” in U.S.-China negotiations, raising questions about its future.

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by CGSP Staff

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