Ankara: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth vowed Friday that the US will maintain the military strength needed to ensure China respects Washington's role in the Indo-Pacific, warning about Beijing's growing military capabilities. Hegseth said countries in the region are increasingly concerned about China's military expansion.
According to Anadolu Agency, Hegseth emphasized the collective concern in the region regarding China's military buildup. "When we look across the region today, there is rightful alarm regarding China's historic military buildup and the expansion of its military activities in the region and beyond. We share a clear-eyed assessment of that security environment," he stated at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.
Hegseth referred to the Trump administration's approach towards China, asserting that relations between the two nations have improved under President Trump's leadership. He remarked, "Under President (Donald) Trump's leadership, relations between the United States and China are better than they've been in many years. President Trump and this administration seek a stable peace, fair trade, and respectful relations with China."
He further asserted America's position in the Pacific, stating, "Make no mistake, America is a Pacific nation, and we insist that China respect our longstanding position in the region, and not just insist but maintain the manifest military strength to underwrite it."
Outlining the US military strategy, Hegseth mentioned the focus on enhancing lethal capabilities, strategic discipline, and cooperation. He said, "We will prioritize lethal capabilities, strategic discipline, and businesslike cooperation over empty rhetoric and peacocking. Any potential opponent will be forced to judge us by our hard power, collective readiness, and steadfast resolve."
He pledged to fortify defenses across the Western Pacific, highlighting the US's strategy of deterrence by denial along the first island chain. Additionally, he discussed plans to boost US military production and spending, stating, "America is undergoing a historic national manufacturing mobilization of our defense industrial base. We will produce the best weaponry in the world at scale, at speed, and at a reasonable price."
Hegseth also mentioned President Trump's plan to increase defense spending to $1.5 trillion this year from $1 trillion last year, describing it as a generational investment aimed at strengthening American military power. On other international concerns, he remarked on the US's commitment to preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, emphasizing their global obligations in this regard.