Singapore (AFP) – Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth struck a comparatively soft tone towards China at a major defence forum on Saturday, saying there was “rightful alarm” over Beijing’s military build-up but the United States sought a “respectful” regional balance. Hegseth’s headline speech at Singapore’s Shangri-La Dialogue, which brings together top defence officials and experts from around 45 countries, contrasted with his strongly confrontational remarks on China at last year’s event.
Unlike Beijing, which has sent a panel of military experts and scholars instead of defence minister Dong Jun for the second year running, Hegseth is leading a bumper US delegation to the event that provides chances for both open debate and behind-closed-doors diplomacy. “When we look across the region today, there is rightful alarm regarding China’s historic military build-up and the expansion of its military activities in the region and beyond,” Hegseth said. Washington does not seek “needless confrontation in the region,” but rather “a genuinely stable equilibrium (in Asia) that works for Americans as well as our allies,” he said.
That means “a favourable 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 added. He said the United States sought “respectful” and “good-faith” engagement with Beijing, adding: “I wish my counterpart was here at this conference, but I look forward to other options when we can cross paths.”
Trump visited China this month, talking up “fantastic” trade deals but giving few details and later suggesting Washington could use its arms sales to self-ruled Taiwan as a bargaining chip with Beijing. There had been “no change” in Washington’s stance towards Taiwan, but “any decision about future Taiwan arms sales…will rest with” US President Donald Trump, Hegseth said. Analysts have said Dong’s no-show reflects Beijing’s confidence as an established power with little inclination to answer publicly for its assertive moves in the region.
But some argue that China is also running the risk of having no senior policymaker present if two major security issues come up: reopening the Strait of Hormuz and Beijing’s claim to Taiwan.
Hegseth’s remarks came as a peace deal between the United States and Iran to end their war remained elusive. A White House official told AFP on Friday that Trump, who is weighing a final decision on a potential accord, would only commit if Iran met all his conditions. But Iran has said “no final agreement” is in place, and its state media has rebutted parts of Trump’s characterisation of the deal. Hegseth said Washington was “more than capable” of restarting the war if it wanted.
The head of the Pentagon is also due to meet his British and Australian counterparts as part of the AUKUS security alliance. Australian media outlets have reported, citing unnamed sources, that the AUKUS nations are expected to announce a major project, perhaps involving uncrewed underwater vehicles. AUKUS’s stated goal is to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific region, though it is widely seen as a bulwark against a rising China, which strongly opposes the pact. Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles said on Friday that Canberra was seeking “the maintenance of the global rules-based order,” adding that China’s military build-up “has not happened with the kind of strategic reassurance which (we) would expect.”
© 2024 AFP
