Pentagon Chief Proposes ‘Ambitious’ Defence Cooperation With ASEAN

ISTANBUL, Oct 28 (NNN-Anadolu) -- United States (US) Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth Wednesday called for an “ambitious” defence cooperation framework with the 11-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Anadolu Ajansi reported.

Calling the 50th anniversary of US-ASEAN ties next year an “important milestone,” Hegseth told the assembled ASEAN defence chiefs: “And in recognition of this milestone, we propose that we work together to develop a US-ASEAN framework for defence cooperation – a practical framework that guides our cooperation over the next several years.”

He stressed what he called “a critically important next several years,” addressing a joint meeting with defence chiefs of the 11-member bloc in Cebu City, the Philippines, which serves as ASEAN’s current chair.

“The approach we're taking we describe as strong, quiet, and clear. Strong enough to deter coercion and aggression, quiet enough to avoid needless escalation or public theatrics, and to let our actions speak for themselves,” Hegseth said as his Chinese counterpart, Dong Jun, skipped the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus this year.

Beijing instead assigned its military attache at the Chinese Embassy in Manila to represent China at the summit.

“We're not going to agree on everything, nor do we need to,” Hegseth told his ASEAN counterparts.

“But an agreement on the fundamentals is enough to support practical cooperation where our shared interests are overlapping and are clear.”

Hegseth said the US will work with Singapore, as the city-state takes the ASEAN helm next year, for the proposed framework for defence cooperation and “as we look to the future in this region, I'd like us to be even more ambitious.”

The meetings in Cebu City mark the 20th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting and 13th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus, which also brings together the defence chiefs of China, South Korea, Japan, Australia, and India, although China this year did not send its defence minister.

--NNN-ANADOLU