Hegseth strikes softer tone on China and stays quiet on Taiwan at Singapore summit
War Secretary Pete Hegseth adopted a softer tone regarding China during his speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, avoiding direct references to Taiwan. He emphasized the U.S. willingness to cooperate with China while maintaining a strong stance. Hegseth also clarified that decisions on arms sales to Taiwan rest solely with President Trump, despite recent pauses in military deals.
- ▪Hegseth did not mention Taiwan or label China as 'communist' during his speech.
- ▪He stated that the U.S. respects China's ambitions while ensuring its own preparedness.
- ▪The official U.S. policy on Taiwan supports military backing without recognizing its sovereignty.
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War Secretary Pete Hegseth softened his rhetoric on China without mentioning Taiwan during his speech at a security summit in Singapore. The Cabinet official’s remarks at the Shangri-La Dialogue came over two weeks after he joined President Donald Trump on an official state visit to Beijing. Recommended Stories Troops who meet height and weight standards eligible for tickets to White House UFC event What to know about Trump’s ‘final determination’ on possible Iran deal Guatemala wants US ‘assistance’ with ‘active military operations’ to combat cartels On Saturday, Hegseth exhibited a softer stance on China compared to his speech at the same summit last year. For instance, he did not call the foreign nation “communist” or reference its military buildup in the Indo-Pacific region.
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