The U.S. Defense Secretary Heggese said ensuring no country can dominate the Indo-Pacific region
The 23rd Shangri-La Dialogue held in Singapore has become a key focus of this year’s Asia-Pacific security agenda. The United States, China, ASEAN, and regional allies have sent out a series of signals on issues including Indo-Pacific security and defense spending.
According to reports from Reuters and AP on May 30, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated at the forum that the Indo-Pacific region is of vital importance to American security and prosperity. The U.S. priority is to maintain a sustained and favorable balance of power in the Pacific. He emphasized that the United States will continue fulfilling its commitments to the region and ensure no single nation can dominate the Indo-Pacific.
Hegseth noted that if one country were to dominate the Pacific region, it would undermine the regional balance of power and the existing order. He also pointed out that the United States shares a common understanding with regional partners regarding the current security environment.
However, compared to his statements last year at the Shangri-La Dialogue, Hegseth’s remarks this year were notably more restrained.
Hegseth revealed during the meeting that leaders of the United States and China have agreed to work toward building a constructive relationship characterized by strategic stability, based on fairness and reciprocity, while safeguarding their respective interests and seeking pragmatic cooperation in areas of shared interest.
Regarding regional security cooperation, Hegseth again called on U.S. allies to assume greater defense responsibilities. He stated that the United States seeks partners, not protectorates. The U.S. hopes Asian allies and partners will gradually increase their defense spending to 3.5% of GDP. He added that the era of the U.S. long-term subsidizing the defense budgets of wealthy nations has ended—only when all members of a coalition share responsibility can it remain strong.
Hegseth specifically commended South Korea, the Philippines, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand for increasing their defense investments, and noted that Japan is also taking concrete steps to strengthen its own defense capabilities. He stressed that Asian partners have long understood that the foundation of a solid partnership lies in alignment of national interests, not idealized values. When interests diverge, parties should make practical adjustments.
During the Shangri-La Dialogue, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia also announced new initiatives under the AUKUS defense cooperation framework.
According to information released by the three countries, the U.S., UK, and Australia are jointly developing technologies related to unmanned underwater vehicles. This project is part of the "Second Pillar" of AUKUS, covering advanced defense sectors such as quantum computing, underwater technology, hypersonic systems, artificial intelligence, and cyber technology. Hegseth said this initiative will deliver a range of highly flexible unmanned underwater combat payload systems, supporting future maritime and underwater operations and maintaining the three nations’ shared advantages in the ocean domain.
UK Defense Secretary John Healey stated that the collaboration will enable the armed forces of the three nations to acquire advanced combat technologies more quickly and jointly develop advanced sensors and weapon systems for unmanned underwater platforms.
Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles, in his subsequent remarks, said that while the current international order is not perfect, countries should strive to reform and improve it rather than dismantle it. He noted that when international rules are respected, smaller nations enjoy greater autonomy; but when power supersedes rules, sovereignty increasingly rests in the hands of stronger states—a result that serves no nation's interest.
Source: rfi
Original: toutiao.com/article/1866626215958604/
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