The Pentagon chief warns of China's growing military power and calls on Asian allies to invest more in their defense.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Saturday urged US allies in Asia to significantly increase their military spending to counter China's rise and preserve the strategic balance in the region.

Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia's main forum for defense and security issues, Hegseth said that China's military development was a cause for "legitimate concern" for countries in the region.

According to him, a stronger and more autonomous network of alliances is essential to deter any potential aggression and prevent any single power from dominating the Indo-Pacific.

"A Pacific dominated by a hegemonic power would upset the balance of power in the region," the US official said, adding that no state should be able to threaten the security or prosperity of its neighbors.

Hegseth indicated that Washington wanted its Asian partners to increase their defense spending to approximately 3,5% of their gross domestic product. He emphasized that the United States itself planned to invest nearly $1.5 trillion in its armed forces.

In a striking phrase, he asserted that the region needed "less Shangri-La and more ships and submarines," stressing the importance of concrete military capabilities rather than mere diplomatic discussions.

The Pentagon chief also addressed the issue of Taiwan, stating that US policy regarding arms sales to the island remained unchanged, while reiterating that the final decisions rested with the president. Donald Trump.

Regarding Iran, Hegseth stated that the United States remained prepared to resume military strikes if no agreement was reached on the disputed issues.

Despite his firm stance on China, he adopted a more conciliatory tone regarding relations between Washington and Beijing, stating that they were currently "better than they have been for many years" and that more regular military exchanges were helping to limit the risks of escalation.

These statements come amid growing strategic rivalry between the United States and China, particularly over Taiwan, the South China Sea and regional influence in the Indo-Pacific.