US Secretary of War Pete Hegsett urged allies in Asia to sharply increase military spending and warned of a growing threat from China.
Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue security conference in Singapore, Hegsett stressed that the US needs stronger and more independent allies.
"There is a well-founded concern about China's historic rise in military power and the expansion of its military activities in the region and beyond," the Pentagon chief said.
According to him, the hegemony of any state in the Pacific region can break the existing balance of power.
"No country, including China, can impose its hegemony and question the security or prosperity of our country and our allies," Hegseth stressed.
