China Knocks Hegseth's 'Cold War Mentality'
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China criticized the United States on Sunday for having a "Cold War mentality" after Pete Hegseth appeared to warn that the U.S. is prepared to go to war to prevent China from dominating the Indo-Pacific.
China lodged a protest over Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s speech at a defense forum in Singapore on Saturday, even as Beijing chose not to send its top military diplomat to the annual event.
The defense secretary said Asia is the administration’s priority region.
China announced Monday that it rejects accusations made by the Trump administration that it has broken terms in regard to the recent trade deal made between the two nations.
In his opening remarks, Hegseth warned China seeks no less than hegemony over the region and is increasingly willing to resort to force. He cited confrontations in the South China Sea, including incidents in which China's coast guard used water cannon against Philippine vessels, injuring several people last year.
Pentagon boss Pete Hegseth warns China is preparing to use military force to alter Asia's status quo
The Pentagon chief made the remarks at an annual security forum in Singapore, where he pressed US allies and partners in Asia to step up defence spending
Asian allies and partners should look to countries in Europe as a new-found example,” he said. Read more at straitstimes.com. Read more at straitstimes.com.
US defence secretary Pete Hegseth warned that a Chinese military attack on Taiwan “could be imminent” as he called on America’s allies in the Indo-Pacific to boost defence spending as a further deterrence to Beijing.