« We’re here to stay, » the U.S. defense chief while laying out President Donald Trump’s Indo-Pacific agenda.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Saturday said the U.S. is stepping up its efforts to resist China’s plans to « dominate and control » Southeast and East Asia.
« America is proud to be back in the Indo-Pacific, and we’re here to stay », he said in an assertive policy address at the Shangri-La Dialogue, considered the region’s premier defense summit.Why It Matters
Successive U.S. administrations have pushed for an « Indo-Pacific pivot » to counter China’s rise as a rival power and growing assertiveness in the region. This is especially evident in the case of Taiwan, the self-governed island democracy that China claims as its own and has vowed to unify with—by force if necessary.
Beijing also asserts sweeping claims over the South China Sea, where its forces have clashed with their Philippine counterparts within Manila’s maritime zone, prompting deeper security cooperation between the U.S. and its treaty ally.
Newsweek reached out to the Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C. outside of office hours with an emailed request for comment.What To Know
In his opening remarks, Hegseth warned China seeks no less than hegemony over the region and is increasingly willing to resort to force.
He cited confrontations in the South China Sea, including incidents in which China’s coast guard used water cannon against Philippine vessels, injuring several people last year.
