US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has warned of China posing an "imminent" threat to Taiwan, while urging Asian countries to boost defence spending and work with the US to deter war.

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.”

China on Sunday accused Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth of attempting to “sow division” in Asia, issuing a fierce rebuke after the U.S. defense secretary said Beijing posed an “imminent” threat to the region and was gearing up to invade Taiwan.