China has cautioned the United States against “playing with fire” over Taiwan, following comments from US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that China poses a “threat to the region”. Hegseth’s remarks came during the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, where he accused Beijing of preparing for military action to shift Asia’s power balance and rehearsing a potential invasion of Taiwan.
Tensions and Accusations
In response, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized that Taiwan is a domestic matter and warned foreign powers against using the issue as leverage. “The US should not entertain illusions about using the Taiwan question as a bargaining chip to contain China, nor should it play with fire,” the ministry stated. Beijing also accused Washington of deploying offensive weapons in the South China Sea and aggravating regional tensions, labeling the US as a “true destabilising” force in the Asia Pacific.
Cold War Mentality
China further accused Hegseth of promoting a “Cold War mentality” and “vilifying China with defamatory allegations”. The ministry claimed that Hegseth deliberately ignored the call for peace and development by countries in the region, instead touting bloc confrontation and falsely labeling China as a threat. A formal protest was lodged with the US over the “inflammatory rhetoric”.
Maritime Disputes and Regional Stability
The tensions between China and the US come amid ongoing maritime disputes in the South China Sea, where China and the Philippines contest sovereignty over certain islands and atolls. Beijing insists that it has consistently promoted dialogue to resolve regional disputes and safeguarded its territorial rights within the bounds of international law. “The US is the biggest factor undermining peace and stability in the South China Sea,” the Chinese statement read.
Absence from Security Forum
Notably, China’s Defence Minister Dong Jun skipped the Shangri-La Dialogue, with Beijing sending a delegation of lower-ranking representatives instead. This marks the first time since 2019 that China has not dispatched its defence minister to the high-level dialogue on regional defence, except when the event was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.