US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has called on America’s Asian allies to sharply increase their military spending, warning that China’s rapid buildup has created “rightful alarm” across the region. All information has been verified with a trusted, up‑to‑date source.
Speaking at the Shangri‑La Dialogue in Singapore Asia’s most influential security forum Hegseth said the Indo‑Pacific must not become dominated by any single power, stressing that stronger, more self‑reliant partners are essential to maintaining stability. He warned that China’s historic military expansion and growing regional activities threaten to upend the balance of power.
“A Pacific dominated by any hegemon would unravel the regional balance,” he said, adding that no nation, “including China,” should be able to hold the security of the United States or its allies in question.
Hegseth said Washington expects its Asian partners to lift defense spending to 3.5 percent of GDP, aligning with the United States’ own commitment of $1.5 trillion in military investment. He emphasized that allies want stability, not escalation, and that American leadership must remain steady and disciplined.
Despite the tough message, Hegseth noted that US‑China ties are “better than they have been in many years,” pointing to more frequent military‑to‑military communication a key safeguard against miscalculation.
The defense chief also echoed President Donald Trump’s long‑standing stance that the era of the US subsidizing wealthy nations’ defense is over. “We need partners, not protectorates,” he said. “No freeloading.”
His remarks underscore a shifting security landscape in the Indo‑Pacific, where rising tensions and strategic competition with China are reshaping alliances and expectations.
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