Experts have sharply criticized U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth's comments at the 22nd edition of the Shangri-La Dialogue, where he tried to push Asian countries to raise their military spending against what he described as China's "imminent threat."

Analysts have noted that the broader international community does not view China as a security threat. Instead, there is growing concern about the destabilizing impact of U.S. rhetoric, which many argue only exacerbates tensions in the region. As countries in the region continue to seek their own pathways to peace and prosperity, the question remains whether the U.S. can truly contribute to a stable, cooperative Asia-Pacific or if its confrontational stance will only deepen divisions.

"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," Dylan Loh, assistant professor in the Public Policy and Global Affairs program at Singapore's Nanyang Technological University, told Al Jazeera.

Rommel Banlaoi, chairman of the Philippine Institute for Peace, Violence and Terrorism Research, expressed skepticism over U.S. intentions in the Asia-Pacific.

"The idea of the U.S. positioning itself as a 'stabilizer' in the region is deeply flawed," Banlaoi argued. "The U.S. is trying to reassert its leadership in the Indo-Pacific and is working hard to rally Asian countries behind it, largely because it views China's growing influence in the region as a direct challenge. But in terms of fostering peace and stability, the U.S. has a track record that speaks for itself. Its interventions in the Middle East have triggered multiple conflicts and regional wars. By contrast, China has not initiated any regional wars."

During a group interview in Singapore, Da Wei, director of the Center for International Security and Strategy (CISS) at Tsinghua University, lambasted Hegseth's speech as "highly provocative." He said the U.S. defense chief's remarks only sent a signal to the region about Washington's ambitious and confrontational "Indo-Pacific strategy."

The U.S., showing a clear lack of respect for its own neighbors such as Canada and Panama, is asking China to respect its neighbors, Da pointed out.

The U.S. 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, he added.

"This significantly undermine the credibility of the U.S.'s intentions," Da said.

The professor further added that he believed Hegseth's comments were likely his personal decision. "To directly attack China in such a security forum is, in my opinion, inappropriate," Da said. He went on to suggest that the current U.S. administration's China strategy is still being shaped, and that Hegseth should have waited for President Donald Trump to finalize the U.S. stance before making such confrontational remarks.

Hegseth should have waited to align his statements with Trump's broader policies, as his comments may not reflect the overall direction of China-U.S. relations, Da noted.

Zhou Bo, senior fellow at CISS, echoed these concerns. "The U.S. 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 U.S. will offer support. This transactional relationship raises doubts from the countries," he added.