Hegseth urges Asian allies to rely less on US for security

United States Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth on Friday urged Asian allies to rely less on Washington and take on more responsibility for their own defence, as he outlined a new Indo-Pacific strategy focused on regional security.

“The era of the United States subsidizing the defence of wealthy nations is over. We need partners, not protectorates. We seek alliances built on shared responsibility, not dependency,” Hegseth said at the Shangri-La Dialogue (SLD) 2026, which runs from May 29 to 31 and brings together defence officials from around 44 countries.

He added that the strategy is a “maturation of alliances in a new era” that will make alliances more balanced and sustainable, allowing them to better handle future challenges.

The defence secretary said there is already progress in responsibility-sharing, citing defence commitments from countries including South Korea, the Philippines, Japan, Australia and Singapore.

“This kind of shared industrial muscle isn’t just a long-term goal; it is an immediate, operational imperative,” he said, while warning that “allies who refuse to step up and carry their own weight for our collective defence will face a clear shift in how we do business.”

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China’s expanding military build-up

To emphasise the need for stronger self-reliance among allies, Hegseth pointed to growing military activity by China in the Indo-Pacific.

“This alignment is based on a clear-eyed assessment of the security environment. And a mutual understanding that a Pacific dominated by any hegemon would unravel the regional balance of power and undermine the equilibrium we all seek to preserve,” he said.

China, whose officials did not attend the SLD, has increased military pressure on Taiwan, including frequent air and naval operations near the island, over its claims that Taipei is part of its territory.

Beijing is also locked in a separate dispute with the Philippines over parts of the South China Sea, where its territorial claims overlap with Manila’s exclusive economic zone, leading to repeated maritime confrontations in the area.

Hegseth said the US War Department is addressing the situation not with confrontations, “but with a strong, quiet and clear posture of measured and deliberate strength.”

“What we seek — and what (President Trump) has consistently articulated —is a genuinely stable equilibrium that works for Americans as well as for our allies. A favorable, 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 said.

Vietnam’s Lam call for peaceful resolution

Vietnamese leader To Lam has called for the peaceful settlement of all disputes in the Indo-Pacific, particularly in the East Sea, without naming China or Taiwan.

“With regards to the East Sea, Vietnam’s position remains clear, consistent and principled. Vietnam supports the peaceful settlement of all disputes and disagreements on the basis of international law, particularly the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea,” Lam said during his speech at the summit.

He stressed that Hanoi respects the rights and interests of other states, while remaining resolute and persistent in safeguarding its own independence.

He also suggested the development of diverse channels of consultation where world leaders can listen carefully to one another and manage their differences.

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