US defense chief Hegseth vows to counter ‘China’s aggression’ on first Asia visit

The United States will enhance its military alliance with the Philippines as it aims to “reestablish deterrence” to counter “China’s aggression” in the Indo-Pacific region, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Friday during a trip to Manila. The efforts reflect the strength of the US-Philippines’ “ironclad alliance, particularly in the face of Communist China’s aggression in the region,” Hegseth said during a joint press conference with his counterpart Gilbert Teodoro.

The US will deploy additional advanced military capabilities for joint training, enhance interoperability for “high end operations” and prioritize defense industrial cooperation, Hegseth told reporters.

Hegseth made the remarks as he opened his first visit to Asia as defense chief – an important opportunity for US President Donald Trump’s administration to set a tone for its engagement in the region, which comes as Hegseth is under a cloud of scrutiny for discussing American war plans on commercial messaging app Signal.

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