Hegseth praises Asian allies for ‘burden-sharing,’ calls out China’s role in the region
- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned of "rightful alarm" over China's historic military buildup, urging Asian allies to rapidly ramp up their own military spending to preserve the regional balance of power.
- Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Hegseth set a target for Indo-Pacific allies to raise defense spending to 3.5% of GDP, mirroring the Trump administration's aggressive domestic pledge of a $1.5 trillion investment in the U.S. military.
- The Pentagon chief echoed President Donald Trump's "no freeloading" policy, bluntly stating that the era of the U.S. subsidizing the defense of wealthy nations is over and warning that deep industrial collaboration and expedited arms sales will be reserved for true partners rather than "protectorates."
- Despite the stern warning on defense spending, Hegseth struck a surprisingly measured tone on U.S.-China ties, noting that relations are "better than they have been in many years" due to more frequent military-to-military communication to manage potential escalations.
- The address was highly notable for completely omitting any mention of Taiwan, a sharp pivot from Hegseth's speech at the same forum last year where he warned a Chinese attack on the island could be "imminent"—a shift analysts link to Trump's recent suggestion that proposed Taiwan arms packages could serve as a "negotiating chip" with Beijing.
136 Articles
136 Articles
US Secretary of Defense Hegseth is known for Tiraden and Machoposen. At a speech in Singapore, he made Europeans feel his contempt, but was conciliatory to Asian allies.
Pentagon chief warns China buildup demands stronger regional defenses
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Hegseth Presses Asian Allies to Boost Defence Spending as U.S. Warns Over China’s Military Expansion
U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth delivered a forceful message to America’s allies and partners across Asia on Saturday, calling for a major increase in defence spending and military readiness to counter China’s growing military power and prevent any single nation from dominating the Indo-Pacific region.
Pete Hegseth sounds ‘alarm’ over China’s military buildup | Honolulu Star-Advertiser
SINGAPORE >> U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth today urged Asian allies to ramp up military spending to counter China’s growing power and prevent its dominance in the region, warning of “rightful alarm” over its rapid military buildup.
Pete Hegseth was surprised this Saturday at a security forum in Singapore by what he didn’t say. The U.S. Secretary of Defense, who over the past year had...
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