CHINA has pointed to the United States as the "primary factor" hurting peace and stability in the South China Sea. A statement from China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs blasted US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for saying that China poses a "threat" in the region.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth​ reassured allies in the Indo-Pacific on Saturday that they will not be left alone to face increasing military and economic pressure from China.

The deputy PM's comments followed assurances from US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth that the Trump administration would not abandon its allies in the Indo-Pacific to Chinese military and economic pressure.

Appearing at the Shangri-La Dialogue, a security conference where world leaders such as French President Emmanuel Macron and Ministers for Defense from Japan, Australia and several other countries were also in attendance, Hegseth issued his most assertive statement on Taiwan to date, warning that threats from China could be “imminent.”

The US Defence Secretary, Pete Hegseth, has warned that the threat from China to Taiwan could be imminent at a major security gathering in Singapore. Mr Hegseth has called on US regional allies to help increase defence spending as he believes Beijing is seeking regional domination.