Overview

• At the Shangri-La Dialogue, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned that China is preparing daily military exercises and land reclamation for a potential invasion of Taiwan by 2027.
• Beijing’s Foreign Ministry accused Washington of using Taiwan as leverage to contain China and undermining regional peace through provocative rhetoric.
• China’s decision to withhold Defense Minister Dong Jun from the conference underscored deteriorating military-to-military communication between the two powers.
• Hegseth urged Asian allies to boost defense budgets, citing Germany’s planned five-percent-of-GDP military spending as a model for regional deterrence.
• The US reaffirmed its long-term military presence in the Indo-Pacific to counter China’s expanding maritime claims and strengthen collective security.