Beijing: US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has rejected claims that weapons sales to Taiwan had been paused due to the Iran war, as he chided allies for not spending enough on their own defence while praising Australia for “stepping up”.

At the Shangri-la Dialogue in Singapore, Asia’s top defence summit, Hegseth also noted there was “rightful alarm” about Beijing’s military build-up and assured allies that America remained committed to ensuring China was not allowed to dominate the region.

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth says the US appreciates Australia’s investment in “real combat power”.…