US Secretary of Defense Hegseth to speak at Shangri-la Dialogue

Today, defense officials from 47 countries will convene for a security forum to discuss the geopolitical landscape of the Indo-Pacific.

Over the weekend, delegations will discuss the escalating tensions between the U.S. and China, particularly over Taiwan and increased militarization in the South China Sea. In his opening speech tomorrow, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth will convey the Trump administration’s defense policy and vision for the Indo-Pacific region. Notably, Hegseth will privately meet with his Japanese and Australian counterparts to evaluate the AUKUS timeline, current deterrence capabilities, and contingencies for a Chinese invasion of Taiwan. On the other hand, Chinese counterpart Defense Minister Dong Jun will be absent due to Beijing’s perception of the forum as Western-centric.

Although the Shangri-La Dialogue has historically been a platform for US-China talks, the Chinese Ministry of National Defense’s absence presents an opportunity for Hegseth. While regional delegations remain uncertain about Hegseth’s commitment to Asian allies, the Trump administration will likely maintain its security assurances to its Indo-Pacific partners. Hegseth will likely seek to persuade regional allies to align with the U.S. and develop further collaborative defensive measures. However, given the regional parties’ plurality of conflicting views on the South China Sea, reaching a consensus among Southeast Asian delegations remains unlikely. Although the dialogue enables further consolidation of regional action, Washington remains cautious of an overly strong regional response eliciting further hostility from Beijing.