Hegseth seeks expanded military cooperation along First Island Chain at ASEAN summit, promoting joint patrols and forward readiness

U.S. War Secretary Pete Hegseth met today in Cebu City with defense counterparts from Australia, Japan and the Philippines to expand operational military cooperation along the “First Island Chain,” Anadolu Agency reported.

Speaking on the sidelines of the 20th ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting, Hegseth said Washington was moving “beyond words to practical cooperation” to strengthen the Western military posture and enforcement across the Pacific.

Anadolu reported that the talks involved intense U.S. diplomatic pressure to establish an “ambitious” defense framework between Washington and the 11-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Addressing regional defense chiefs, Hegseth outlined a strategy to maintain a Western-dominated “balance of power,” advocating joint maritime patrols and forward military readiness under the banner of “peace through strength.”

Hegseth also held separate bilateral sessions with defense officials from South Korea, India, Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam. Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun did not attend the Cebu gathering; Anadolu described his absence as underscoring mounting regional resistance to U.S. efforts to draw Southeast Asian states into multilateral alliances aimed at containing China.