There is "rightful alarm" in the Pacific over China's military build-up and the United States seeks a regional balance where no state has unchecked power, Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth said on Saturday.US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth speaks during a plenary session of the 23rd Shangri-La Dialogue summit in Singapore. (Photo by JAM STA ROSA / AFP) (AFP)"When we look across the region today, there is rightful alarm regarding China's historic military build-up and the expansion of its military activities in the region and beyond," Hegseth told Asia's premier defence summit in Singapore.He added that Washington did not seek "needless confrontation in the region".Also Read: ‘Say Hello to your wives’: Trump's big claim on Strait of Hormuz over peace deal, Iran's rebuttalHegseth was speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue, which brings together top defence officials and experts from around 45 countries.It has historically provided a setting for both open debate and behind-closed-doors diplomacy.In his headline speech, Hegseth said Washington sought "a genuinely stable equilibrium (in Asia) that works for Americans as well as our allies".That means "a favourable 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 added.Also Read: India-US trade deal 99% done, signing expected in weeks, predicts Sergio GorHegseth is leading a bumper US delegation, in stark contrast to rival China, which has sent a panel of military experts and scholars instead of defence minister Dong Jun for the second year running.