China Expands Military as U.S. Defense Secretary Urges Asian Allies to Increase Defense Spending

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Saturday renewed calls for America’s allies in Asia to increase military spending to boost deterrence against China’s military buildup. The remarks came during a speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.

Hegseth expressed “alarm” over China’s military expansion, according to multiple reports of the address. He told partners in the region that they must shoulder more of the burden if collective deterrence is to remain credible, framing the issue in terms of shared responsibility rather than unilateral U.S. commitments.

The speech did not mention Taiwan by name. Weeks earlier, Chinese leader Xi Jinping had warned of potential clashes if Washington mishandles the situation around the island, which Beijing considers a breakaway province.

Hegseth’s remarks followed the approach taken by the Trump administration toward European countries on defense spending. The comments also aligned with a shift in a U.S. strategy document last year that removed Beijing as the country’s top threat, according to Semafor’s reporting on the address.

No publicly released evidence tied to the speech has been cited by the Pentagon to document specific new Chinese actions beyond the general buildup referenced. China’s foreign ministry had not commented on Hegseth’s Shangri-La remarks as of the dates covered in the reporting.