News Analysis
Standing before defense chiefs from more than 40 nations at Asia’s premier security forum on May 31, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued what analysts say is the sternest warning Washington has ever leveled over the Taiwan Strait.
“Any attempt by Communist China to conquer Taiwan by force would result in devastating consequences for the Indo-Pacific and the world,” Hegseth said at the annual Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.
The speech, analysts say, marks a departure from Washington’s era of “strategic ambiguity” on Taiwan. By underscoring the gravity of any aggression, Washington aims to prevent miscalculation by Beijing, while also urging Taiwan and U.S. allies to strengthen their own defenses….