China has lodged a strong protest against the United States over comments made by US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, accusing him of vilifying China and sowing regional division during his speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on Saturday, 31st May 2025.

In a statement published by the Chinese Foreign Ministry on Sunday, 1st June 2025, Beijing said Hegseth had deliberately ignored widespread regional calls for peace and development, instead pushing a narrative of Cold War style bloc confrontation.

The ministry said,

Hegseth deliberately ignored the call for peace and development by countries in the region and instead touted the Cold War mentality for bloc confrontation, vilified China with defamatory allegations, and falsely called China a threat

Hegseth's Indo-Pacific Speech Sparks Outrage

During the annual security summit in Singapore, Defence Secretary Hegseth warned of a real and potentially imminent threat from China in the Indo-Pacific region, urging allies including Australia to ramp up military spending.

In response, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said that his government had already pledged an additional A$10 billion for defence and reaffirmed that Australia would independently determine its defence priorities.

What we'll do is we'll determine our defence policy
Albanese told reporters in Sydney on Sunday.

China Calls Remarks Deplorable and Destabilising

Beijing was quick to react to Hegseth's remarks, calling them deplorable, and said they were intended to sow division and heighten tensions in Asia. The Foreign Ministry accused the US of continuing to militarise the South China Sea, turning it into a powder keg.

The United States has deployed offensive weaponry in the South China Sea and kept stoking flames and creating tensions in the Asia-Pacific, which are turning the region into a powder keg

The US military this year deployed Typhon missile launchers in the Philippines, capable of hitting targets in both China and Russia, as part of ongoing defence cooperation with Manila.

China and the Philippines have overlapping territorial claims in the South China Sea, particularly over islands and atolls. Maritime confrontations between the two nations have escalated in recent months as both sides intensify patrols and assert sovereignty.

Taiwan Flashpoint Resurfaces

In perhaps the most sensitive part of his speech, Hegseth issued a stark warning over Taiwan, saying that any Chinese attempt to take the island by force would have devastating consequences.

China responded sharply, saying the US should not play with fire on the Taiwan question, reiterating that it considers the island an inseparable part of its territory and that reunification is inevitable, by force if necessary.

Any attempt by China to conquer Taiwan would result in devastating consequences
Hegseth told the gathering of defence leaders.

Beijing maintains its long-standing position that Taiwan's future must be decided by China, while the government in Taipei insists the island's fate lies solely with its people.

Beijing Condemns Cold War Mentality

The Chinese statement strongly criticised what it described as the revival of Cold War mentality promoted by Washington. Beijing accused the US of creating camps and confrontational blocs in the region through its military alliances and deployments.

This approach, China said, is against the shared desire of regional countries for stability, peace, and cooperation. The Foreign Ministry called on the US to respect China's core interests, stop its defamatory rhetoric, and engage in dialogue, not confrontation.

China also warned the US to halt actions that could trigger military miscalculations, saying that escalatory rhetoric and force projection risk damaging not only China-US ties but also the broader peace and stability of the Asia-Pacific.

US Strategy and Regional Realignments

The US continues to strengthen its security posture in Asia, building deeper ties with countries such as Japan, South Korea, India, Australia, and the Philippines. These moves have been viewed by Beijing as part of a strategy to contain China's rise.

Washington argues its efforts are focused on upholding freedom of navigation, regional security, and supporting allies. But Beijing sees the growing US presence, especially in disputed waters and sensitive geopolitical zones, as a provocation.

The deployment of missile-capable systems like the Typhon in the Philippines, and the increased US military exercises with regional partners, signal a sharpening rivalry that is rapidly spilling into a multi-domain competition, covering land, sea, air, space, and cyberspace.

Conclusion: Rising Tensions Amid Strategic Rivalry

The sharp exchange between the US and China following the Shangri-La Dialogue is yet another sign of deepening strategic mistrust between the two powers.

Beijing has responded with indignation to Washington's warnings, while Washington remains firm in its belief that China poses a challenge to the existing security order in Asia.

With maritime flashpoints, military buildups, and rhetoric intensifying on both sides, the path to stability in the Indo-Pacific remains uncertain. Unless both powers choose engagement over antagonism, the region could face further polarisation, arms races, and accidental conflict.

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