SINGAPORE — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth praised U.S. allies and partners across the Indo‑Pacific for increasing defense budgets and enhancing military capabilities, emphasizing that regional peace and prosperity depend on strength anchored by the United States and its partners.
In his opening plenary address at the Shangri‑la Dialogue in Singapore, Hegseth avoided naming Taiwan, instead focusing on the need for a stable balance of power that prevents any single nation from dominating the region.
He described this perspective as shared by regional partners, who remain concerned about China’s extensive military buildup and expanding activities both within the region and beyond its borders.
‘We share a clear‑sighted assessment of this security environment and agree that a Pacific dominated by any single hegemon would destabilize the regional balance and erode the equilibrium we all aim to maintain,’ he said.
Hegseth also commended regional nations for recent increases in defense spending and improvements in military capability, singling out treaty allies such as Australia, Japan, the Philippines and South Korea for their efforts.
For example, he highlighted the Philippines’ pivot toward external defense and greater interoperability with U.S. forces, noting a 12 % rise in defense spending under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to modernize its armed forces and coast guard.
‘This increase will finance the Philippines’ multi‑year plan to build a modern, technologically advanced, and interoperable force capable of operating alongside U.S. warfighters,’ Hegseth added.
He also referenced other regional partners — including Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam — as well as host Singapore, which he said “punches above its weight” by investing heavily in its military and serving as a key logistics hub for U.S. activities and rotational deployments, bolstering the shared regional posture.
Upon arriving in Singapore on Friday morning for the dialogue, Hegseth visited U.S. service members aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Boxer, which was in port for a scheduled visit.
The defense secretary used his remarks to contrast Pacific partners with Europe, which he said had ignored “polite pleas” to boost defense spending and allowed their militaries to erode, though he acknowledged that European nations are beginning to catch up.
‘Alliances only succeed when they are true partnerships—a two‑way street where all members have skin in the game,’ he said.