WASHINGTON
\nUS Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth urged Asian allies on Saturday to ramp up military spending to counter China\u2019s growing power and prevent its dominance in the region, warning of \u201crightful alarm\u201d \u200cover its rapid military buildup.
\nHegseth, speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Asia\u2019s premier forum for defence leaders, militaries and diplomats, said a stronger, more self-reliant network of allies is essential to deter aggression and preserve the balance of power.
\n\u201cThere is rightful alarm regarding China\u2019s historic military buildup and the expansion of its military activities in the region and beyond,\u201d he said.
\n\u201cA Pacific dominated by any hegemon would unravel the regional balance of power,\u201d Hegseth said. \u201cNo state, including China, can impose its hegemony and hold the security or prosperity of our nation and our allies in question.\u201d
\nThe US expects its Asian allies and partners to increase defence spending to 3.5% of GDP as it pledged a $1.5 trillion investment in its military, the Pentagon chief said.
\n\u201cLess Shangri-La, more ships, more subs,\u201d Hegseth said, stressing that the region needed greater defence capability than conferences. Allies want stability, not escalation, he said.
\n\u201cWhat they want, and what the United States delivers, is strength that is disciplined, resolve that is steady, and leadership that is confident enough to speak and walk softly while carrying a big stick.\u201d
\nHegseth also struck a measured tone on US-China ties, saying relations are \u201cbetter than they have been in many years,\u201d with more frequent military-to-military engagement helping to manage tensions.
\n\u201cWe are meeting more frequently with our Chinese counterparts by maintaining open lines of military-to-military communication.\u201d
\nZhou Bo, a senior fellow at Tsinghua University and retired People\u2019s Liberation Army senior colonel who was part of the Chinese delegation, described US-China relations as \u201ccomplicated.\u201d
\nNonetheless, he said Hegseth struck \u201ca much better tone\u201d this year than last, attributing the shift to Trump\u2019s visit to China.
\n\u201cBoth sides have open channels of communication, the situation is not as exaggerated as the outside world makes it out to be,\u201d Zhou said.
\nChina, whose defence minister is skipping the dialogue for a second consecutive year, accused Hegseth last year of making \u201cvilifying\u201d remarks.
\n\u2018No freeloading\u2019
\nHegseth echoed President Donald Trump\u2019s long-standing demand that allies shoulder more of their own defence costs. Trump has pointedly said European and NATO partners should reduce reliance on Washington.
\n\u201cThe era of the United States subsidizing the defence \u200cof wealthy nations is over,\u201d Hegseth said. \u201cWe need partners, not protectorates,\u201d he added. \u201cWe don\u2019t have a strong alliance unless everyone has skin in the game. No freeloading.\u201d
\nHegseth praised contributions from allies including South Korea, the Philippines, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand, and said Japan was taking concrete steps to bolster its defences.
\nTokyo and Washington \u201cmust each pull our weight to strengthen the US-Japan alliance,\u201d he said.
\nReady to restart strikes on Iran
\nOn the Middle East conflict, Hegseth said the United States stands ready to resume strikes on Iran if diplomacy fails, as negotiators from Washington and Tehran work to bridge major differences blocking a deal.
\n\u201cOur ability to recommence if necessary…we are more than capable,\u201d Hegseth said. He added that Trump remains \u201cpatient\u201d and is seeking a \u201cstrong deal\u201d to ensure Iran does not obtain a nuclear weapon.
\nTrump said on Friday he would convene advisers in a secure White House setting to make a \u201cfinal determination\u201d on a proposal to end the Iran war.
\nHegseth also pushed back on concerns the conflict would distract from Asia-Pacific priorities.
\n\u201cWe can do two things at one time.\u201d
\nArms sales decision to Taiwan is Trump\u2019s call
\nIn his speech, Hegseth made no mention of Taiwan, a hotspot in relations between the US and China.
\nWhen asked about arms sales to the island during questions that followed, Hegseth downplayed concerns that a multi-billion-dollar package could be affected as the United States draws down its weapons stockpiles amid the Middle East conflict. \u201cWe feel very good about our stockpiles and how we use them,\u201d he said.
\nTaiwan, which China views as its own territory, has been waiting for the US to approve an arms sale that Reuters reported could be worth up to $14 billion.
\nTrump sowed uncertainty in Taipei by saying, after meeting China\u2019s President Xi Jinping this month, that he was undecided on whether to approve the package.
\nAny decision on future arms sales would rest with President Trump, Hegseth said, signalling no shift in Washington\u2019s longstanding approach despite recent engagement with Beijing.
\n\u201cThose decisions will depend on the president and the nature of that relationship,\u201d Hegseth said. \u201cThere\u2019s been no change in our status.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
WASHINGTON US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth urged Asian allies on Saturday to ramp up military spending to counter China\u2019s growing power and prevent its dominance in the region, warning of \u201crightful alarm\u201d \u200cover its rapid military buildup. Hegseth, speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Asia\u2019s premier forum for defence leaders, militaries and diplomats, said […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":548743,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-548732","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-world"],"yoast_head":"\n