Ruptly
"US War Secretary Pete Hegseth on Saturday toned down his warnings against China, saying that Washington respected Beijing's 'ambition' and was willing to work together with it. "Our message today was very much in sync with precisely where the president wants to go, which is we're going to be strong, but we can speak softly while carrying that big stick," he said in response to a question about using a 'softer' tone towards China. While addressing the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue 2026, Hegseth had also endorsed US President Donald Trump's diplomatic approach toward Beijing during his visit to China in May. However, he did raise 'rightful alarm' over China's 'historic' military buildup in the region. Last year at the same forum, Hegseth had claimed that China planned to invade Taiwan by 2027, saying that the consequences of such actions would be 'devastating.' The comments drew a strong reaction from Beijing. In response to questions about reaching a peace settlement with Iran, Hegseth said that the talks had been 'productive' and Washington was confident of 'great deals.' "Iran knows very, very clearly what our expectations are, and that's on the negotiating team to deliver. They're coming in our direction," he added. He stressed that the US 'ironclad' blockade of the Strait of Hormuz was mounting pressure on Iran. "They want to say that they control the Strait, but we do. And everything behind the scenes shows that we are in control when it comes to that, including how the dynamics of the negotiation are coming together," he continued. Hegseth is in Singapore for Asia's major defence and security summit, IISS Shangri-La Dialogue, bringing together government figures, military chiefs, and security experts to discuss a range of security issues in the Indo-Pacific. It will run in Singapore from May 29-31."
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