US ready to help Southeast Asia defend against China – Pentagon
Photo: Pete Hegseth (Getty Images)
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth criticized China for increasing its "destabilizing actions" in the South China Sea and pledged support to Southeast Asian nations to help them respond to threats from Beijing, according to Reuters.
On Saturday, during the second day of his visit to Kuala Lumpur, where he held numerous meetings, including talks with US allies Australia, Japan, and the Philippines, Hegseth made a proposal to ASEAN defense ministers.
He suggested creating a shared maritime awareness system, saying that China had shown disrespect and endangered their territorial sovereignty.
"You live it on the threats we all face from China's aggression and course of actions in the South China Sea and elsewhere," he said.
Hegseth emphasized the need to strengthen joint response capabilities, including the ability to monitor maritime behavior and develop tools that would allow "us to respond quickly."
"No one can innovate and scale like the United States of America, and we're eager to share those capabilities with allies and partners," the Pentagon chief added.
Hegseth's statements came a day after the armed forces of Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines, and the United States conducted exercises in the South China Sea — a patrol that, according to a Chinese military spokesperson, "seriously undermined peace and stability."
Reuters noted that Beijing claims sovereignty over nearly the entire South China Sea, using a demarcation line on its maps that overlaps with the exclusive economic zones of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam.
China has also deployed a fleet of coast guard ships hundreds of kilometers from its mainland, which have repeatedly clashed with Philippine vessels and been accused of disrupting Malaysia's and Vietnam's energy operations.
Beijing, for its part, denies aggressive actions, saying its coast guard has acted professionally to defend Chinese territory from incursions.
On Friday, November 1, Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun said that China and ASEAN must work together to "unite Eastern forces" and ensure peace and stability in the South China Sea.
US-China confrontation may ease
Despite recent tensions, US President Donald Trump said yesterday that his meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping was excellent for both sides and would "lead to eternal peace."
Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth also echoed Trump's remarks on social media, saying that the United States and China had agreed to establish new military channels "to deconflict and de-escalate any issues that arise."
