At the 23rd IISS Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on Saturday (30 May), US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth addressed Indo-Pacific security dynamics, focusing on China’s military expansion and the US approach to regional stability.
He warned that “a Pacific dominated by any hegemon would unravel the regional balance of power and undermine the equilibrium we all seek to preserve,” emphasising US efforts to maintain a durable strategic balance.
Hegseth stated: “We seek a genuinely stable equilibrium that works for Americans as well as our allies,” describing US policy as combining deterrence with diplomacy.
He also highlighted ongoing engagement with Beijing, noting: “By maintaining open lines of military-to-military communication, we can coordinate, deconflict, and reduce the risk of miscalculation.”
The remarks come amid recent high-level engagement between President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping in Beijing, where both sides discussed strategic stability and broader trade and security tensions, though key Indo-Pacific differences remain unresolved.
They also align with the 2026 US National Defence Strategy, which prioritises sustaining a favourable balance of power in the Indo-Pacific, strengthening deterrence along key maritime corridors, and deepening allied burden-sharing as part of a long-term shift in regional force posture.
ℹ️ The International Institute for Strategic Studies
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