U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth gestures as he speaks during the Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia’s annual defense and security forum, in Singapore, Saturday, May 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim)
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth listens to a question during the Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia’s annual defense and security forum, in Singapore, Saturday, May 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim)
SINGAPORE (AP) — U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth assured Pacific allies on Saturday that Washington remained committed to the region, but toned down previous comments calling China a threat.
Speaking to a group of world leaders, diplomats and top security officials at the Shangri-La defense conference in Singapore, Hegseth said that the region “has profound implications for U.S. security and prosperity” and that Washington’s priority was to “achieve a lasting and favorable balance of power in the Pacific.”
It was his second time addressing the forum. Last year, he raised the ire of Beijing by warning of rapidly developing threats from China, particularly its aggressive stance toward Taiwan. He said China is no longer just building up its military forces to take Taiwan, it’s “actively training for it, every day.”
