By EILEEN NG
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — The U.S. Secretary of Protection stated Friday he advised his Chinese language counterpart throughout talks in Malaysia that Washington would “stoutly defend” its pursuits within the Indo-Pacific. He additionally signed a brand new settlement geared toward strengthening safety ties with India.
Pete Hegseth described as “good and constructive” his assembly with Chinese language Admiral Dong Jun, held on the sidelines of the Affiliation of Southeast Asian Nations protection ministers assembly in Kuala Lumpur. He stated he raised U.S. issues over Chinese language actions within the South China Sea, round Taiwan and towards U.S. allies and companions within the area.
“I highlighted the significance of sustaining a steadiness of energy within the Indo-Pacific,” Hegseth wrote on social media platform X. “United States doesn’t search battle (however) it’s going to proceed to stoutly defend its pursuits and guarantee it has the capabilities within the area to take action.”
China’s protection ministry issued a cautious response, emphasizing its longstanding positions. Dong Jun careworn the reunification of China and Taiwan is an “unstoppable historic pattern” and urged the U.S. to be cautious in its phrases and actions on the Taiwan concern, the assertion stated.
“We hope the U.S. will translate its statements of not containing China and never searching for battle into motion, and work with China to inject constructive power into regional and international peace and safety,” in response to the assertion.
Their assembly follows a Sept. 9 video name between Hegseth and Dong and displays ongoing efforts to handle tensions within the Indo-Pacific whilst strategic variations, significantly over Taiwan and freedom of navigation, stay pronounced.
Hegseth additionally met with India’s Protection Minister Rajnath Singh, and so they signed a 10-year protection framework geared toward increasing navy and technological cooperation.
President Donald Trump poses for a household picture with, from left, Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, East Timor’s Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmao, Vietnam’s Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the Sultan of Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and Laos’ Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone on the ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Sunday, Oct. 26, 2025. (AP Photograph/Mark Schiefelbein)
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President Donald Trump poses for a household picture with, from left, Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, East Timor’s Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmao, Vietnam’s Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the Sultan of Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and Laos’ Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone on the ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Sunday, Oct. 26, 2025. (AP Photograph/Mark Schiefelbein)
Washington has lengthy sought to develop a deeper partnership with New Delhi, which is seen as a bulwark towards China. India is a serious protection companion of the united statesand has lately embedded superior American jets, helicopters, missiles and navy gear into its armed forces.
“This advances our protection partnership, a cornerstone for regional stability and deterrence,” Hegseth wrote on X. “Our protection ties have by no means been stronger.”
Singh stated the U.S.-India partnership is essential for guaranteeing a free, open and rules-based Indo-Pacific area. “It’s a sign of our rising strategic convergence and can herald a brand new decade of partnership,” he stated on X.
The framework settlement comes amid renewed strains in bilateral ties after President Donald Trump imposed a 50% import tariff on Indian items in August and criticized New Delhi for continued buy of discounted Russian oil. India is the second largest purchaser of Russian oil after China.
Hegseth additionally held talks along with his Malaysian and Philippines counterparts.. He reaffirmed committment to maritime safety within the South China Sea and stated the U.S. would “work relentlessly to reestablish deterrence within the South China Sea.”
Malaysia has beforehand protested the encroachment of Chinese language vessels into its waters however normally prefers quiet diplomacy. That’s in distinction to the neighboring Philippines, which has had main confrontations with China at sea lately. China claims nearly all the South China Sea, overlapping claims made by nations together with Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Taiwan.
Requested to remark about U.S. President Donald Trump’s plans to restart nuclear weapon testing for the primary time in three a long time, Malaysian Protection Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin advised a information convention later Friday that ASEAN is a nuclear weapon free zone space and “we attempt to keep away from something that may deliver nice calamity to humankind.” He didn’t elaborate.
ASEAN secretary-general Kao Kim Hourn individually stated some ASEAN members might search extra particulars from Hegseth about U.S. nuclear testing at a deliberate ASEAN-U.S. assembly on Saturday.
“For the safety and security of the world, I feel it’s vital … to remember that the world ought to by no means see the usage of one other nuclear weapon,” he stated.
Trump made the feedback Thursday on social media, saying it might be on an “equal foundation” with Russia and China. There was no indicators the U.S. would begin detonating warheads, however Trump provided few particulars in what appeared to be a major shift in U.S. coverage.
ASEAN protection ministers will proceed talks Saturday with dialogue companions together with the US, China, Japan, India, Australia, South Korea and Russia.
Rajesh Roy in New Delhi and Ken Moritsugu and Chen Shihuan in Beijing contributed to this report.
