BUTOLPOST – SINGAPORE | The United States has again sent a firm message to China regarding competition for influence and security in the Indo-Pacific region. US Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, emphasized that Washington will maintain its military strength to ensure Beijing respects America’s strategic position in the region.
Hegseth made this statement while attending the Shangri-La Dialogue international security forum organized by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) in Singapore, Friday (29/5).
According to Hegseth, countries in the Indo-Pacific region are increasingly concerned about China’s increasing military capabilities, which are considered to have developed massively in recent years.
“When we look across the region today, there are legitimate concerns about China’s historic military buildup and the expansion of its military activities in the region and beyond,” Hegseth said.
However, he emphasized that President Donald Trump’s administration still wants stable relations with Beijing.
“President Trump and this administration strive to achieve stable peace, fair trade, and a respectful relationship with China,” he said.
However, Hegseth emphasized that the United States would not relax its influence in the Indo-Pacific region.
“America is a Pacific nation, and we insist that China respect our long-standing position in the region. We will also maintain real military power to support it,” he stressed.
In his presentation, Hegseth explained that the US defense strategy would focus on strengthening combat capabilities, increasing military readiness with allies, and strengthening defense systems in the Western Pacific region.
He also revealed that the US government is carrying out massive mobilization of the defense industry sector to increase production of modern weapons.
“America is undergoing a historic national manufacturing mobilization of our defense industrial base. We will produce the best weapons in the world on a large scale, quickly and efficiently,” he said.
Hegseth added that President Trump plans to increase the United States’ defense budget to 1.5 trillion US dollars this year, a significant increase from 1 trillion US dollars in the previous year.
Apart from highlighting China, Hegseth also emphasized Washington’s commitment to preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.
“We still have a global obligation to ensure that Iran does not get a nuclear weapon. We are focused on that,” he said.
The statement by the US Minister of Defense is expected to further emphasize the strategic rivalry between Washington and Beijing, which in recent years have continued to compete for political, economic and military influence in the Indo-Pacific region.***
