Hegseth praises Asian allies for 'burden-sharing,' calls out China's role in the region
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth takes questions during a press briefing at the Pentagon on May 5, 2026 in Arlington, Virginia.
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The U.S. aims to sustain equilibrium in the Asia-Pacific region and is working toward a situation where its allies are more capable, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said, while also warning China not to disrupt the status quo.
“The bedrock of partnership is alignment on national interests,” Hegseth said in remarks at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on Saturday. The U.S. will take a “strong, quiet, clear” approach to alliances, he said.
He praised countries like the Philippines, Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore for stepping up and sharing the burdens of defense and alliances.
Vietnam and India also got call-outs for improving their military readiness.
While Hegseth said the U.S.’s relationship with China is the strongest it’s been in a long time, he also directly called out the country.
Washington seeks “a favorable but durable balance of power in which no state, including China, can impose its hegemony and hold the security or prosperity of our nation and our allies in question,” he said.
Hegseth had some choice words for Europe, complaining that allies in the region hadn’t pulled their weight.
Alliances should happen “without the drama and the moralizing,” he said. “Europe should take note.”
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