Hegseth focused his warning on Beijing’s stance toward Taiwan, making the stakes clear for the broader region. “To be clear: any attempt by Communist China to conquer Taiwan by force would result in devastating consequences for the Indo-Pacific and the world,” he said.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry rebuked Hegseth's remarks, saying he invoked the "Cold War mentality for bloc confrontation" and "falsely" called China a "threat."

China on Sunday accused Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth of attempting to “sow division” in Asia, issuing a fierce rebuke after the U.S. defense secretary said Beijing posed an “imminent” threat to the region and was gearing up to invade Taiwan.