U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hagel accused China of "preparing for possible military force" in the Asia-Pacific region - which Washington has designated as "preferred" in light of emerging threats there. "The threat China poses is real and could materialize soon," Hagel said at the Shangri-La Summit in Singapore, Asia's largest defense and security forum. "Beijing wants to control and dominate the region, and they are training every day for an invasion of Taiwan."