Chinese general fires back at US defence chief over Shangri-La Dialogue remarks
Hegseth’s comments involved ‘groundless accusations against China’, PLA major general leading Chinese side at annual Singapore event says
In a panel session at Asia’s premier annual security conference on Saturday afternoon, Hu Gangfeng, vice-president of China’s National Defence University, said Hegseth’s address earlier in the day involved “groundless accusations against China”.
This came after the US defence secretary claimed that China was “destabilising” the region as it “harasses its neighbours” in the South China Sea while rapidly building up its military.
Addressing Asia-Pacific defence chiefs in a morning session at the Singapore event, Hegseth also warned of a possibly “imminent” risk that the People Liberation Army (PLA) would take over Taiwan by force.
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US defence chief Pete Hegseth warns of ‘imminent’ China threat during Shangri-La Dialogue
Hu said that some of Hegseth’s claims were fabricated and “aimed at stirring up trouble, creating division, inciting confrontation, and destabilising the Asia-Pacific”.