U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned on Friday (May 5) that Chinese military action against Taiwan may be imminent and that China may be ready to take action earlier than the 30 date previously set by Chinese President Xi Jinping. He called on allies in the Indo-Pacific region to accelerate military investment, jointly maintain regional stability and strengthen deterrence against Beijing.
On the same day, Hegseth attended the Shangri-La Dialogue, an important high-level conference hosted by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) and bringing together regional and international security leaders.
During the conversation, he said: "China is seriously preparing to use military force to change the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific region. This is not alarmist. The threat is real and may be imminent." He pointed out that just as European countries strengthened their national defense after the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war, Asian countries should also assume more responsibility and strengthen their self-defense capabilities.
Hegseth also said in his speech that Washington has no intention of seeking conflict with China, but will stick to its strategic position in the Indo-Pacific region and will not be forced back by the Chinese Communist Party. "We have great respect for China and its culture, but we will never be excluded from this critical region," he said.
Hegseth stressed that the CCP is actively developing a military system with the ability to invade Taiwan, and any attempt by the CCP to conquer Taiwan by force will have devastating consequences for the Indo-Pacific region and the world. Chinese President Xi Jinping has ordered the People's Liberation Army to have the capability to invade Taiwan by 2027, but now China may be ready to take action earlier than the 2027 deadline set by Xi, so that the military can prepare for possible action against Taiwan. "There is no reason to sugarcoat it. The threat posed by China is real and may be imminent - we hope it won't be the case, but it is a possibility."
