Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth pledged to strengthen ties with Southeast Asian countries
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth pledged Wednesday to strengthen U.S.-ASEAN defense ties, saying Washington would defend its interests and those of its allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific. At meetings in Cebu, Philippines, he cited greater maritime domain awareness, interoperability and joint training. Reuters reported he proposed a defense framework amid South China Sea tensions.
More context
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth pledged Wednesday to strengthen U.S. defense ties with Southeast Asian countries, saying Washington would stand by its Indo-Pacific interests, allies and partners. Hegseth spoke at the two-day ASEAN defense ministers and related meetings in Cebu, Philippines. He said the commitment would be backed by practical cooperation, including stronger maritime domain awareness, greater interoperability and joint training. Hegseth described the U.S. approach as “strong, quiet and clear”: strong enough to deter coercion and aggression, quiet enough to avoid needless escalation, and clear enough for friends and potential adversaries to understand Washington’s position. Reuters reported that he proposed a U.S.-ASEAN defense framework amid tensions with China in the South China Sea. Regional governments are weighing Washington’s ability to stay focused on Asia as the Iran war strains U.S. military resources and creates political pressure at home.
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Reporting
- Devdiscourse — Hegseth reassures Southeast Asia of US commitment, pledges stronger defence ties
- chinaglobalsouth.com — Hegseth Pledges Stronger U.S.-ASEAN Defense Ties
Verifier’s note
Devdiscourse and China-Global-South both report Hegseth’s pledge of stronger U.S. defense cooperation with Southeast Asian partners at the October 28 ASEAN meeting. China-Global-South explicitly credits Reuters, and Devdiscourse carries the same report rather than separate reporting.