Singapore - US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on Saturday claimed that China is "credibly preparing" to use military force in Asia as he ratcheted up the rhetoric against Beijing.

The Pentagon chief made the remarks at an annual security forum in Singapore as President Donald Trump's administration spars with Beijing on trade, technology, and influence over strategic corners of the globe.

China's embassy in Singapore blasted the speech, accusing Washington of escalating tensions in the region and "profiting from creating risks of war".

Trump has launched a trade war with China since taking office in January, has sought to curb its access to key AI technologies and deepened security ties with allies such as the Philippines, which is engaged in escalating territorial disputes with Beijing.

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"The threat China poses is real and it could be imminent," Hegseth said at the Shangri-La Dialogue attended by defense officials from around the world.

Beijing is "credibly preparing to potentially use military force to alter the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific," he said.

Hegseth, whose time as defense secretary has been wracked by embarrassing leaks and a loss of confidence from the White House, warned that the Chinese military was building the capabilities to invade Taiwan and "rehearsing for the real deal".

China has ramped up military pressure on Taiwan and held large-scale exercises around the island that are often described as preparations for a blockade or invasion.

The US was "reorienting toward deterring aggression by communist China." Hegseth said, calling on US allies and partners in Asia to swiftly upgrade their defenses in the face of mounting threats.

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He described China's conduct as a "wake-up call," accusing Beijing of endangering lives with cyberattacks, harassing its neighbors, and "illegally seizing and militarizing lands" in the disputed South China Sea.

Beijing claims almost the entire waterway, through which more than 60% of global maritime trade passes, despite an international ruling that its assertion has no merit.

It has clashed repeatedly with the Philippines in the strategic waters in recent months, with the flashpoint set to dominate discussions at the Singapore forum, according to US officials.

As Hegseth spoke in Singapore, China's military announced that its navy and air force were carrying out routine "combat readiness patrols" around the Scarborough Shoal, a chain of reefs and rocks Beijing disputes with the Philippines.

The saber-rattling address drew a critical reaction from the Chinese embassy in the city-state.

"The speech is steeped in provocations and instigation," the embassy wrote on its Facebook page.

"Mr. Hegseth repeatedly smeared and attacked China and relentlessly played up the so-called 'China threat'," the statement said, accusing the US of being the "biggest troublemaker" in the region.

Hegseth's comments came after Trump stoked new trade tensions with China, arguing that Beijing had "violated" a deal to de-escalate tariffs as the two sides appeared deadlocked in negotiations.

The world's two biggest economies had agreed to temporarily lower eye-watering tariffs they had imposed on each other, pausing them for 90 days.