US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's notably different tone towards China at the Shangri-La Dialogue, compared to last year, has sparked debate about America's global standing. His recent remarks suggested improved US-China relations under Trump's leadership.

Listening to US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth at the recently concluded Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, I thought of the iconic Sichuan opera act of face-changing, where performers switch masks in an instant. Last year, Hegseth’s speech at the event was filled with blatant attacks on China. This year, he put on a completely different face, declaring that: “Under President Trump’s leadership, relations between the United States and China are better than they’ve been in many years.” Why this...