Pentagon Chief: US to Boost Global Defenses, Press Indo-Pacific Allies on China

By Staff, Agencies

War Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Saturday that the US will increase its military presence and defenses abroad in support of Indo-Pacific allies facing rising military and economic coercion from China.

Speaking at a major security forum in Singapore, Hegseth emphasized that Washington remains committed to the region but also pressed allied nations to strengthen their own defense contributions.

Hegseth warned that China poses a growing and potentially imminent threat, especially toward Taiwan, which Beijing considers a breakaway province. “We are not going to sugarcoat it — the threat China poses is real. And it could be imminent,” he stated.

He added that while China is no longer just building up its military, it is now actively training to seize Taiwan, with the goal of being ready for a military operation by 2027.

The Pentagon chief also pointed to China’s aggressive expansion in the South China Sea, including the construction of artificial islands to support military outposts.

In response to these developments and China’s growing hypersonic and space capabilities, the US is initiating a new strategic defense system dubbed the “Golden Dome.”

Hegseth further noted China's ambitions beyond Asia, highlighting its efforts to expand influence in Latin America, including around the Panama Canal.

Calling for shared responsibility, Hegseth urged Indo-Pacific nations to raise their defense spending to levels comparable to NATO expectations in Europe, stressing: “We must all do our part.”

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas challenged Hegseth’s remarks, particularly his implication that Europe should focus on its own region while the US takes the lead in Asia.

Kallas argued that European and Asian security are closely connected, citing North Korean troops fighting for Russia and China’s support of Moscow as evidence of the global nature of current threats.