The US secretary of defence has called on Asian countries to boost their military spending to increase regional deterrence against China, which was “rehearsing for the real deal” when it comes to taking over Taiwan.
Pete Hegseth, addressing the Shangri-la Dialogue in Singapore on Saturday, reiterated pledges to increase the US presence in the Indo-Pacific and outlined a range of new joint projects, including expanding access to military ship and aircraft repair, including in Australia.
“US allies in the Indo-Pacific can and should upgrade their own defences,” Mr Hegseth said.
“It has to be clear to all that Beijing is credibly preparing to potentially use military force to alter the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific … There’s no reason to sugar coat it. The threat China poses is real, and it could be imminent.”
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He said Donald Trump’s administration has pushed European countries to boost their defensive spending, taking on a greater “burden” of responding to conflicts in their region, and it was time for Asian nations to do the same.
Mr Hegseth, who in March was revealed to have told a Signal group chat that Europe was “pathetic” and “freeloading” on US security support in the region, told the Singapore conference it was “hard to believe” he was now saying this, but Asian countries should “look to allies in Europe as a newfound example”.
“Deterrence doesn’t come on the cheap … time is of the essence.”
A new study by the organisation running the Singapore event, the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies, found that Asian spending on weapons and research is currently spiking, on top of what it said was a relatively consistent annual average spend of 1.5 per cent of Gross Domestic Product.
Mr Hegseth said the renewed European focus on their region – particularly the Russia-Ukraine war – allowed the US to shift focus to its “priority theatre” in the Indo-Pacific.
Mr Hegseth said the US did not seek to “pressure” Asian countries to “embrace or adopt policies or ideologies”, but instead wanted to “work with you where our shared interests align for peace and prosperity”.
“We’re not here to preach to you about climate change or cultural issues,” he said. “But a threat gathers.
“We do not seek conflict with Communist China. We will not seek to instigate, subjugate or humiliate China. Mr Trump and US have an immense respect for China and their civilisation. But we will not be pushed out of this critical region.”
In his speech, Mr Hegseth also took a swipe at the absence of any senior Chinese delegate at this year’s conference. “We are here this morning and, notably, someone else isn’t,” he said.
Mr Hegseth also appeared to reference comments by the French president, Emmanuel Macron, at the conference on Friday that a “sense that [the US’s] promise might not be so ironclad is ushering in a new instability”.
“An alliance cannot be ironclad if in reality or perception it is one-sided,” Mr Hegseth said on Saturday. “As allies share the burden we can increase our focus on the Indo-Pacific, our priority theatre.”
He said the US would conduct its “first-ever live-fire test of its mid-range capability system in Australia” in coming months, and had expanded cooperations and joint exercises. It would also establish repair capability and capacity programs in the region, including for P-8 radar systems in Australia for the US and its allies, while expanding contracts for regional ship repair.
Mr Hegseth’s speech reiterated much of the Trump administration’s defence and security position – blaming the previous administration for problems, pledging to strengthen the US military and secure the US border against unregulated immigration, while repeating plans to “take back the Panama canal”.
He said Mr Trump was spending $1 trillion – a 13 per cent increase – on defence next year, citing advance weapons plans including the controversial Golden Dome.
Speaking in Singapore after Mr Hegseth’s address, US Democratic senator Tammy Duckworth told reporters his comments about the US remaining in the Indo-Pacific region were welcome but he found his words “patronising of our friends in the Indo-Pacific in particular”.
“I’ve gotta say his idea that we’re going to wrap ourselves around you – we don’t need that kind of language. We just need to stand together,” Mr Duckworth said.
“The US is not asking people to choose between the US and [China] … But we will make sure international norms are maintained and ask our friends to help us uphold them.”
Mr Duckworth, who is co-leading a bi-partisan delegation which also visited Taiwan, said the Trump administration “acts very quickly, but very incompetently”.
“The point I’m making on this trip is that it’s not just about secretary Hegseth and the Trump administration,” she said. “Bipartisan support for the Indo Pacific in the legislature is actually growing.” -Guardian
