Singapore's Shangri-La Dialogue: Hegseth aims to sway Asian allies amid Trump-era doubts
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth will try to convince Asian defence leaders this weekend that the United States is a more trusted partner for the region than China, US officials said, as questions linger about the Trump administration's commitment to the region.
Hegseth, who has spent a large portion of his first months on the job focused on domestic issues, countering diversity, equity and inclusion in the military and taking aim at the press, will make his first extended remarks in
Singapore on Saturday about how he envisions US defence policy in the Indo-Pacific.
He will be addressing the
Shangri-La Dialogue , Asia's premier security forum, which runs this year from May 31-June 1. Defence ministers, senior military and security officials and diplomats from around the world are expected to attend. French President Emmanuel Macron will deliver the keynote address on Friday.
'Secretary Hegseth is going to make the case to Asian allies about why the United States is a better partner than the CCP (Chinese Communist Party),' said a senior US defence official, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The official said Hegseth had the opportunity to take advantage of Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun's expected absence from the dialogue, where US and Chinese delegates have locked horns in previous years.
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