SINGAPORE: US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will try to convince Asian defense leaders this weekend that the United States is a more trusted partner for the region than China, US officials told Reuters, as questions linger about the Trump administration’s commitment to the region.
Hegseth, who has spent a large portion of his first months on the job focused on domestic issues, countering diversity, equity and inclusion in the military and taking aim at the press, will make his first extended remarks in Singapore on Saturday about how he envisions US defense policy in the Indo-Pacific.
He will be addressing the Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia’s premier security forum, which runs this year from May 31-June 1. Defense ministers, senior military and security officials and diplomats from around the world are expected to attend. French President Emmanuel Macron will deliver the keynote address on Friday.
“Secretary Hegseth is going to make the case to Asian allies about why the United States is a better partner than the CCP,” said a senior US defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The official, who was using an acronym for China’s Communist Party, said Hegseth had the opportunity to take advantage of Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun’s expected absence from the dialogue, where US and Chinese delegates have locked horns in previous years.
Hegseth’s speech will be closely watched as it comes after President Donald Trump has lashed out at traditional allies, most recently with tariffs.
Hegseth has also roiled allies in Europe. In February, he warned Europe against treating America like a “sucker” while addressing a press conference at NATO headquarters in Brussels.
“There’s certainly uncertainty being expressed, and sometimes I think it’s probably fair to characterize it as a concern,” a second senior US defense official said, referring to anxiety among Asian allies.
General Dan Caine, the recently confirmed US chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is also expected to attend the dialogue.
Some of the Trump administration’s early moves in the Indo-Pacific have raised eyebrows. The US moved air defense systems from Asia to the Middle East earlier this year as tensions with Iran spiked — an effort which took 73 C-17 flights.
But Hegseth visited the Philippines and Japan in March, a trip in which experts said the secretary stuck by the more traditional importance of allies.
Ely Ratner, who was the Pentagon’s top official on China under the Biden administration, said allies in Asia were seeking a consistent policy from Hegseth.
“The region will be watching closely as to whether the US secretary of defense that shows up at Shangri-la looks like the one that traveled to the Philippines and Japan or has more of the harder edge that we’ve seen from the Trump administration in Europe,” said Ratner.
Hegseth, a former Fox News host, was only narrowly confirmed as defense secretary in January. He has moved with stunning speed to reshape the department, firing top generals and admirals as he seeks to implement Trump’s national security agenda.
His leadership has been under intense scrutiny after it was revealed that he shared sensitive war plans on Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis in two signal group chats. Trump has stuck by him through the turmoil.
Hegseth will likely get a friendly audience at the Shangri-La Dialogue, said Greg Poling, with the Center for Strategic and International Studies think-tank.
“Asian allies, and particularly the Philippines, feel a lot more reassured than our European allies, but there’s always going to be that voice in the back of their head,” Poling said.
Democratic Senator Tammy Duckworth, who is co-leading a bi-partisan delegation to the Shangri-la Dialogue, said her aim was to reassure Asian allies that the United States was committed, a message she said Hegseth was not capable of delivering.
“He’s only got this job because he sucked up to President Trump and looked good on Fox News. So let’s be clear about the capabilities of the secretary of defense,” Duckworth told Reuters.
US defense chief looks to woo allies in Asian security forum debut
https://arab.news/ycdgn
US defense chief looks to woo allies in Asian security forum debut
- Allies concerned about United States’ commitment
Pakistan tightens security as border conflict intensifies
- PM chairs meeting to review overall security situation in the country
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif this week directed authorities to ensure prompt and comprehensive security measures countrywide, state media reported, as Pakistan’s armed conflict with Afghanistan intensifies.
The latest clashes between the neighbors erupted after Pakistani airstrikes targeted what Islamabad described as militant hideouts inside Afghanistan earlier this month, drawing sharp criticism from Kabul. Afghanistan’s forces retaliated on Thursday night, firing at Pakistani posts along the border and triggering an armed conflict between the two sides.
Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said on Saturday that 352 Afghan Taliban fighters had been killed and more than 535 wounded since the latest phase of hostilities began. Both sides have claimed to inflict massive damage on the other. However, Arab News could not independently verify the claims.
Sharif chaired a high-level meeting on Saturday to review the overall security situation in the country, state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported.
“Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has directed all relevant federal and provincial institutions to ensure prompt and comprehensive security measures in view of the current situation,” the state media reported on Saturday.
The premier directed authorities to ensure mutual coordination and coherence in fulfilling their responsibilities, paying tribute to the armed forces for their sacrifices in the “war against terrorism.”
“During the meeting, the prime minister was informed that all security institutions are on alert and all necessary measures are being taken for the security of the country,” the state broadcaster said.
On escalating tensions in the Middle East, Sharif directed Pakistan’s foreign office to repatriate Pakistani nationals stranded in Iran safely via Azerbaijan.
Meanwhile, explosions echoed across parts of Kabul before sunrise on Sunday, followed by bursts of gunfire, a Reuters witness said. It was not clear what had been targeted or whether there were casualties.
Taliban administration spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said the sounds were the result of Afghan forces targeting Pakistani aircraft over the capital.
“Air defense attacks were carried out in Kabul against Pakistani aircraft. Kabul residents should not be concerned,” Mujahid said.
Pakistan has said Afghanistan harbors Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants, which it said are waging an insurgency inside Pakistan.
Afghanistan has denied the accusation, saying it does not allow Afghan territory to be used against other countries and that Pakistan’s security challenges are an internal matter.
Pakistani security sources have said operation “Ghazab Lil Haq,” meaning “Wrath for the Truth,” was ongoing and that Pakistani forces had destroyed Afghan posts and camps.
Diplomatic efforts have intensified, with Saudi Arabia, Russia, China, the European Union and United Nations urging restraint and calling for talks.
