Hegseth praises Asian allies for ‘burden-sharing,’ calls out China’s role in the region
Hegseth said Asian partners that boost defense spending will get faster arms sales and deeper intelligence sharing as Washington seeks a durable Pacific balance.
- 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.
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Pete Hegseth: SUA Vor UN Echilibru Stabil În Asia, În Care Niciun Stat Nu Îşi Poate Impune Hegemonia
Secretarul american al apărării, Pete Hegseth, a declarat sâmbătă, în cadrul Dialogului Shangri-La din Singapore, că există motivated „legitime de alarmă” în faţa întăririi militare a Chinei. Totodată, el a dat asigurări că Statele Unite vor un „echilibru stabil” în Asia-Pacific şi refuză orice „hegemonie”.
'Clear-eyed' on China: takeaways from Pete Hegseth's Shangri-La speech
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth addressed the annual Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on Saturday morning, just two weeks after a summit between the presidents of China and the United States. The speech was expected to be a barometer of the summit's outcomes between President Xi Jinping and his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump. Here are some of the main points from Hegseth's address. Tough on China, but less confrontational Hegseth referred to …
Pete Hegseth promises close cooperation to the Asian Allies at the Shangri La Dialogue in Singapore. But only if they contribute their part to the defense.
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