Hegseth Vows US Support for Indo-Pacific Allies, Warns of ‘Imminent’ China Threat

The defense secretary says the United States does not seek conflict with China but will ‘fight and win decisively’ if deterrence fails

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth speaks in the first plenary session entitled “United States’ New Ambitions for Indo-Pacific Security” during the 22nd IISS Shangri-La Dialogue at the Shangri-La Hotel in Singapore on May 31, 2025. Yong Teck Lim/Getty Images

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth pledged on May 31 that the United States would continue to support Indo-Pacific allies in maintaining peace and stability, as he warned of an imminent military threat from China.

Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Hegseth said that China is making credible preparations to use military force to change “the balance of power” in the Indo-Pacific, noting that while nobody knows what the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) will do in terms of Taiwan and its other neighbors in the Indo-Pacific, “the U.S. and its allies must nonetheless be ready with urgency and vigilance.”

The CCP, which has never ruled Taiwan, considers the self-governed island to be a renegade province and has never ruled out the possibility of using force to control it.

Hegseth warned that any attempt by Beijing to seize the democratically ruled island could potentially result in “devastating consequences” for both the region and the world.

“There’s no reason to sugarcoat it: The threat China poses is real, and it could be imminent,” he said.

Hegseth urged Indo-Pacific nations to increase their defense spending to bolster military capabilities, citing NATO members’ commitment to spend 5 percent of their gross domestic product on defense.

“How can it make sense for countries in Europe to do that while key allies and partners in Asia spend far less in the face of a far more formidable threat from Communist China, not to mention North Korea,” he said.

Hegseth said that the Trump administration is aiming to reestablish deterrence in the Indo-Pacific by enhancing its “forward force posture” in the Western Pacific, helping allies bolster their defense capabilities, and rebuilding its defense industrial bases.

The Pentagon chief said President Donald Trump has vowed to not allow China to invade Taiwan on his watch, calling on regional allies to work alongside the United States in efforts to prevent potential war.

He reiterated that the United States has no intention of engaging in conflict with China. But Washington refused to “be pushed out of this critical region” and will not allow its allies to be subordinated, he said.

“Let me again be clear: The United States does not seek war. We do not seek to dominate or strangle China,” Hegseth said. “But we must ensure that China cannot dominate us—or our allies and partners.”

He said that if deterrence fails, the United States “will be prepared to do what the Department of Defense does best—fight and win—decisively.”

Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun did not attend the security forum for unspecified reasons, but Beijing sent a delegation from the People’s Liberation Army National Defense University in his place.

Earlier this month, Hegseth issued a memo ordering the Army to cut 1,000 jobs in what he called a “comprehensive transformation” to build a leaner and more lethal force that prioritizes defending the United States and deterring China in the Indo-Pacific.

He said in his memo that the Army must prioritize investments that align with the Trump administration’s strategy and ensure that existing resources are utilized to enhance capabilities such as long-range precision fire, air and missile defense, cyber and electronic warfare, and counter-space capabilities.

The CCP has ramped up its military activity around Taiwan in recent years. In the face of an ongoing campaign of military intimidation, the Taiwanese Defense Ministry reported spotting 31 Chinese warplanes, nine vessels, and one official ship operating around the island on May 28. The ministry stated that 22 of the aircraft crossed the median line and entered Taiwan’s air defense identification zone, prompting Taiwan to deploy its aircraft to monitor their movement.

Beijing also asserted territorial claims over nearly the entire South China Sea, including reefs that overlap with the exclusive economic zones of Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, Taiwan, and the Philippines.

Katabella Roberts contributed to this report.