Hegseth praises Asian allies for ‘burden-sharing,’ calls out China’s role in the region
Hegseth urged Asian partners to spend 3.5% of GDP on defense and said stronger allies will get faster arms sales and more intelligence sharing.
- 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.
205 Articles
205 Articles
Hegseth Tells Asian Allies How to Earn US Support
Asian nations hoping for more American muscle got a mixed message Saturday: Step up if you want to move to the front of the line. Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the US will prioritize "countries that help themselves" and declared "the era of...
Shangri-La: Hegseth Calls on Western Pacific Allies to Maintain Military Strength, 'We Need Partners, Not Protectorates'
The head of the Pentagon called on U.S. Western Pacific allies to maintain military strength and called on China not to disrupt the regional equilibrium while praising the current state of affairs between Washington and Beijing. Speaking on Saturday in Singapore, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned China not to disrupt the equilibrium in the Pacific, but at the same time Hegseth said U.S.-China relations are better than they’ve been. He also p…
The U.S. Secretary of Defense affirmed that the U.S. is not turning its back on its Asian allies, but wants those allies to increase their defense budgets.
Hegseth walks tightrope on China, urging Asian allies to share burden against threats
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth toned down his criticism of China during remarks to Pacific leaders and diplomats on Saturday, weeks after President Trump participated in a bilateral summit in Beijing. In remarks at the International Institute for Strategic Studies’ Shangri-La Dialogue conference in Singapore, the Defense secretary championed joint efforts from the U.S. and China…
Los Angeles Times
Washington TimesHegseth tones down warnings about China but says U.S. remains committed to Pacific security
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, attending a defense and security conference in Singapore, softened past comments that described China as an imminent threat.
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