Chinese threat real, imminent, US warns

SINGAPORE — US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth warned Saturday that China was “credibly preparing” to use military force to upend the balance of power in Asia, and vowed that the United States was “here to stay” in the Indo-Pacific region. The Pentagon chief made the remarks at an annual security forum in Singapore as the administration of US President Donald Trump spars with Beijing on trade, technology and influence over strategic corners of the globe. On the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Hegseth met with Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to…