U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth maintained Washington’s position on Taiwan and stressed the defense of U.S. interests in the Indo-Pacific region during a meeting with Chinese Minister of National Defense Adm. Dong Jun on Friday.
“I highlighted the importance of maintaining a balance of power in the Indo-Pacific and emphasized U.S. concerns about China’s activities in the South China Sea, around Taiwan and towards U.S. allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific,” Hegseth said in a social media post after the pair’s meeting. “The United States does not seek conflict; it will continue to stoutly defend its interests and ensure it has the capabilities in the region to do so.”
China’s Ministry of National Defense, which issued a summary of the meeting, said Dong called on the U.S. to exercise caution on its words and actions in regard to Taiwan. While Taiwan has established its own constitution and democratically elected leaders, China views Taiwan as a breakaway province that will eventually be under Beijing’s control, which Dong described as “an unstoppable historical trend.” In 2022, Chinese President Xi Jinping reiterated the preference for “peaceful unification” with Taiwan, but Xi also restated that China “will never promise to renounce the use of force.”
“[Dong] hoped that the U.S. would translate its statements of not containing China and not seeking conflict into action and work with China to inject positive energy into regional and global peace and security,” reads the release from China’s Ministry of National Defense.
Hegseth and Dong are in Malaysia to participate in the ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting-PLUS (ADMM-PLUS) forum on Saturday. While the two have spoken via teleconference, the meeting was the first time Hegseth and Dong met in person. Among Hegseth’s delegation for the meeting in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur was Adm. Samuel Paparo, commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM).
In a press availability later, Hegseth described the conversation with Dong as “constructive.”
“So did we agree on everything? No. Did we disagree on some things? Sure. But that kind of constructive conversation, I think, leads to better outcomes, and it was a good meeting,” Hegseth said.
Earlier this week, during a joint press conference with Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, Hegseth criticized China for its military buildup and aggressive military actions, calling China’s behavior “a threat to free people.”
President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi also met this week in South Korea, which China’s Ministry of National Defense said was “successful” and provided “strategic guidance” for the stable development of China-US relations in the next stage.
“China and the U.S. can absolutely achieve mutual success and common prosperity,” reads the release.
The Ministry of Defense also said the defense departments of both countries should take concrete actions to implement the consensus reached by the heads of state and strengthen policy-level communication to build trust and dispel doubts.
On Friday, Malaysia hosted the ADMM forum, which gathers defense ministers from the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN). The ADMM-PLUS forum will be held Saturday. It will include Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, Russia and the U.S.
Both Hegseth and Dong held various meetings with their counterparts on Friday. Hegseth also met with the defense ministers of Cambodia, Indonesia, India, Thailand and the Secretary of Defense for the Philippines.
Hegseth and Philippine Secretary of National Defense Gilbert Teodoro announced on Friday a new “Task Force Philippines,” designed to deter Chinese coercion in the South China Sea, USNI News reported.
“We’re publicly announcing the Task Force Philippines, here with you today, which will be another step in our cooperation. Increasing interoperability, exercising and preparedness for contingencies―so that we can decisively respond to crisis or aggression and reestablish deterrence in the South China Sea,” Hegseth said.
About the Author
