Baghdad: US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth warned on Saturday that China is "seriously preparing to use military force to change the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific region."

According to National Iraqi News Agency, Hegseth delivered his remarks at the annual Shangri-La Security Forum in Singapore, urging US allies and partners in Asia to increase defense spending. He emphasized that the threat from China is "real and potentially imminent," as Beijing aims to dominate and control Asia.

Hegseth highlighted that the Chinese military is enhancing its capabilities to invade Taiwan, with daily training and exercises simulating a real attack. He also spoke about the US efforts to bolster military cooperation with allies like Japan and the Philippines, alongside deepening defense partnerships with India. In his address, he mentioned that the US is "reorienting its strategy to deter aggression from communist China," and has deployed a mobile anti-ship missile system in the Luzon Strait between the Philippines and Taiwan in collaboration with the Philippines.

The Secretary of Defense further urged regional partners to increase their military expenditures, pointing out that "deterrence does not come cheap."