Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called for the creation of a formal security pact to guide military relations between Washington and its Southeast Asian partners. During the ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting in Manila, Hegseth proposed the development of a “U.S.-ASEAN Framework for Defense Cooperation” meant to structure strategic coordination over the coming years and commemorate the 50th anniversary of U.S.-ASEAN relations in 2027.
The proposal is part of an effort by the US to bolster regional partners as a counterweight to Beijing’s influence in the Indo-Pacific. While Hegseth pledged that the US would continue to defend the interests of its allies, China reduced the level of its representation at the Manila summit following an increase in territorial tensions with the Philippines in the South China Sea.