The United States will ‘continue to stoutly defend its interests’ in the Indo-Pacific and ’ensure it has the capabilities in the region to do so,’ Hegseth said.
U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth on Oct. 31 raised concerns about Chinese military activities around Taiwan and in the South China Sea during his first in-person meeting with Chinese Defense Minister Adm. Dong Jun.
The meeting in Malaysia, where defense chiefs from Southeast Asia gathered for a summit, came a day after U.S. President Donald Trump met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in South Korea.
“I highlighted the importance of maintaining a balance of power in the Indo-Pacific,” Hegseth said on X on Thursday evening following talks with Dong.
Today, I met with China’s Minister of National Defense Admiral Dong Jun on the sidelines of the ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting Plus. It was a good and constructive meeting. I highlighted the importance of maintaining a balance of power in the Indo-Pacific and emphasized U.S.… pic.twitter.com/CcipIBWb4b
— Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) October 31, 2025
The Pentagon chief said he “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.”
While the United States doesn’t seek conflicts, it will “continue to stoutly defend its interests and ensure it has the capabilities in the region to do so,” he added.
Dong reiterated the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP’s) claims over Taiwan, saying that ”the United States should be cautious in its words and actions on the Taiwan issue,” according to the Chinese defense ministry.
Beijing hopes Washington will “take a clear stance firmly opposing ‘Taiwan independence,’” Dong was quoted by his ministry as telling Hegseth.
The CCP, which has never ruled Taiwan, views the self-governed island as a breakaway province and has not ruled out the use of force to bring it under its control.
To achieve this goal, the Chinese communist regime has ramped up pressure on Taiwan across multiple fronts. That includes carrying out large-scale military drills and flying warplanes near the island on a nearly daily basis, heightening concerns about a potential war in the Taiwan Strait.
U.S. officials have said that Xi has instructed his military to prepare for a 2027 attack on Taiwan. Despite the lack of formal ties, the United States is legally bound to provide Taiwan with the means to defend itself.
Hegseth, who is visiting Asia this week, has warned of the rising security challenges posed by the Chinese regime to the Indo-Pacific region, which he previously described as the “priority theater.”
“The threats we face are real and they are urgent. China’s unprecedented military buildup and its aggressive military actions in the region speak for themselves,” Hegseth said at a joint press conference with Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi in Tokyo on Oct. 29.
By Aldgra Fredly and Dorothy Li
