China Protests U.S. Defense Secretary's Remarks at Shangri-La Dialogue
Beijing condemns comments as defamatory, escalating tensions over Taiwan and the South China Sea.
BEIJING - China has lodged a formal protest with the United States following remarks made by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, which the Chinese Foreign Ministry described as "slanderous" and a mischaracterization of China's role in regional security.
The comments were made during the Shangri-La Dialogue, an annual defense forum held in Singapore.
Hegseth characterized China as a real and potentially imminent threat to the Indo-Pacific region.
He warned that any efforts by Beijing to assert control over Taiwan could lead to "devastating consequences." The U.S. Defense Secretary also called on allies in the region to increase their defense spending in light of these perceived threats.
In response, the Chinese Foreign Ministry issued a statement condemning Hegseth's remarks as "regrettable." The ministry accused him of deliberately ignoring regional calls for peace and development while promoting a Cold War mentality that seeks to divide nations.
The statement characterized his accusations against China as defamatory and asserted that such rhetoric contributes to escalating tensions.
The ministry specifically criticized the United States for deploying offensive military capabilities in the South China Sea, which China claims in its entirety, including areas that overlap with the exclusive economic zones of neighboring countries.
It urged Washington to refrain from "playing with fire" regarding Taiwan, highlighting the sensitive nature of the issue in Sino-American relations.
French President Emmanuel Macron, who opened the forum on Friday, urged regional nations to build coalitions with Europe to avoid being collateral victims of decisions made by superpowers like the United States and China.
His comments reflect a growing diplomatic effort to foster alliances that could offset the dominance of these major powers in global geopolitics.
The Shangri-La Dialogue has become a key platform for dialogue and defense cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, attracting defense ministers, military leaders, and security experts from around the world.
The comments were made during the Shangri-La Dialogue, an annual defense forum held in Singapore.
Hegseth characterized China as a real and potentially imminent threat to the Indo-Pacific region.
He warned that any efforts by Beijing to assert control over Taiwan could lead to "devastating consequences." The U.S. Defense Secretary also called on allies in the region to increase their defense spending in light of these perceived threats.
In response, the Chinese Foreign Ministry issued a statement condemning Hegseth's remarks as "regrettable." The ministry accused him of deliberately ignoring regional calls for peace and development while promoting a Cold War mentality that seeks to divide nations.
The statement characterized his accusations against China as defamatory and asserted that such rhetoric contributes to escalating tensions.
The ministry specifically criticized the United States for deploying offensive military capabilities in the South China Sea, which China claims in its entirety, including areas that overlap with the exclusive economic zones of neighboring countries.
It urged Washington to refrain from "playing with fire" regarding Taiwan, highlighting the sensitive nature of the issue in Sino-American relations.
French President Emmanuel Macron, who opened the forum on Friday, urged regional nations to build coalitions with Europe to avoid being collateral victims of decisions made by superpowers like the United States and China.
His comments reflect a growing diplomatic effort to foster alliances that could offset the dominance of these major powers in global geopolitics.
The Shangri-La Dialogue has become a key platform for dialogue and defense cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, attracting defense ministers, military leaders, and security experts from around the world.
