Singapore—At the 22nd Shangri-La Dialogue, experts have sharply criticized comments made by US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, who urged Asian nations to increase military spending in response to what he described as an “imminent threat” from the Chinese mainland.
Dylan Loh, an assistant professor in the Public Policy and Global Affairs program at Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University, expressed skepticism about the US position. “Short of a very few countries, not many in this part of the world see China as an imminent threat and would up their defense spending,” Loh told reporters.
Rommel Banlaoi, chairman of the Philippine Institute for Peace, Violence and Terrorism Research, questioned the United States’ role in promoting regional stability. “The idea of the US positioning itself as a ‘stabilizer’ in the region is deeply flawed,” Banlaoi argued. “The US is trying to reassert its leadership in the Indo-Pacific largely because it views China’s growing influence as a direct challenge. But when it comes to fostering peace and stability, the US has a track record that speaks for itself. Its interventions have triggered multiple conflicts. By contrast, China has not initiated any regional wars.”
Da Wei, director of the Center for International Security and Strategy (CISS) at Tsinghua University, labeled Austin’s speech as “highly provocative” during a group interview in Singapore. “The US defense chief’s remarks signal Washington’s ambitious and confrontational Indo-Pacific strategy,” Da said. “The US urges Asia-Pacific countries to collaborate with it and pressures them to increase defense spending, but at the same time, it imposes tariffs on these countries, stalling their economic development. This significantly undermines the credibility of the US’s intentions.”
Zhou Bo, a senior fellow at CISS, echoed these concerns. “The US has always emphasized the importance of the Asia-Pacific, its economic prosperity, and regional influence. However, its approach to allies is one of compliance—if the allies follow Washington’s demands, the US will offer support. This transactional relationship raises doubts among the countries,” he noted.
Analysts suggest that the broader international community does not view the Chinese mainland as a security threat. Instead, there is growing concern that aggressive rhetoric from the United States could exacerbate tensions in the region. As countries in the Asia-Pacific seek their own pathways to peace and prosperity, questions remain about whether the US can contribute to a stable and cooperative environment or if its confrontational stance will deepen divisions.
