US Defence Secretary insists China must respect US position in Indo-Pacific

Hamilton, Canada (ANTARA) - US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth on Friday (29 May) pledged that the US would maintain the military strength necessary to ensure China respects Washington’s role in the Indo-Pacific, and warned of Beijing’s growing military capabilities.

Hegseth said countries in the region are increasingly concerned about China’s military expansion.

‘Looking across the region, there is legitimate concern over China’s historic military buildup and expansion of its military activities both within and beyond the region,’ he said at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.

‘We have a clear assessment of the security environment,’ he added.

Referring to the Trump administration’s approach to relations with Beijing, he said, ‘Under President Donald Trump’s leadership, US-China relations have been better than in recent years.’

‘President Trump and this administration are striving for stable peace, fair trade, and mutually respectful relations with China,’ he added.

‘Do not misunderstand: America is a Pacific nation, and we insist that China respects our longstanding position in the region – not just insisting, but also maintaining real military strength to back it up,’ Hegseth said.

Detailing US military strategy in the region, he said, ‘We will prioritise lethal capabilities, strategic discipline, and professional cooperation over empty rhetoric and power displays.’

‘Every potential adversary will be forced to assess us based on our hard power, collective readiness, and unwavering resolve,’ he added.

Hegseth said the US approach in the Pacific centres on denial through the first island chain and pledged to strengthen defences across the Western Pacific.

The Defence Secretary also highlighted plans to expand US military production and spending.

‘America is undergoing a historic national manufacturing mobilisation of our defence industrial base. We will produce the world’s best armaments at scale, quickly, and at reasonable prices,’ he said.

He added that Trump plans to increase defence spending to US$1.5 trillion (Rp26.735 trillion) this year, up from US$1 trillion (Rp17.823 trillion) last year, as part of a generational investment to bolster US military strength.

On Iran, he said, ‘We still have a global obligation to ensure Iran does not acquire nuclear weapons. We are focused on that.’