During the 22nd Shangri-La Dialogue, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin reaffirmed on May 31 that the Indo-Pacific region is a priority for the United States. He warned that the threat of China aspiring to be a regional hegemon is real and imminent.

Austin urged nations to expand their defense spending to strengthen deterrence capabilities and called for a collective effort to create a 'shield of deterrence'. He emphasized that the U.S. will continue to act as an Indo-Pacific nation and work with allies to counter any acts of aggression in the region.

He explicitly stated that China is attempting to control the Indo-Pacific through military expansion, fundamentally altering the status quo. Austin pointed out that the Chinese government uses cyber capabilities to steal technology and attack critical infrastructure, challenging the sovereignty of other nations and international laws protecting freedom of navigation.

Austin noted that the Chinese military is causing daily disruptions to Taiwan and that the threat posed by China is indeed real and pressing; however, President Trump has assured that China will not invade Taiwan during his administration.

Austin called on allies and partner nations to jointly create a 'shield of deterrence' and to pursue peace through strength. He maintained that even if deterrence fails, the Pentagon would act decisively and achieve victory.