Hegseth in Cebu Proposes a U.S.-ASEAN Defense Cooperation Framework Ahead of 50th Anniversary of Ties
CEBU, Philippines — U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, speaking on October 28 in Cebu, Philippines, during the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) and the ASEAN–U.S. defence ministers' informal meeting, proposed that the United States and ASEAN jointly develop a U.S.-ASEAN framework for defense cooperation, and said Washington would defend its interests and those of its allies and partners under an approach he described as "strong, quiet, and clear."
Hegseth said the approach means being strong enough to deter coercion and aggression, quiet enough to avoid needless escalation or public theatrics, and clear enough that friends and potential adversaries understand the U.S. position. "We will defend our interests and the interests of our allies and partners. That is, by definition, peace through strength," he said.
Noting that next year marks the 50th anniversary of U.S.-ASEAN dialogue relations, he proposed a practical framework to guide cooperation over the next several years, and said the U.S. is ready to work on it with Singapore's Minister for Defence Chan Chun Sing, who is due to assume the ADMM-Plus chairship in 2027. Priority areas include maritime domain awareness, naval interoperability, cyber resilience and joint tactical exercises. "Serious partners train together, learn together, plan together," Hegseth said.
He also praised ASEAN's role in sustaining the ceasefire along the Thailand-Cambodia border, including Malaysia's rapid deployment of ASEAN observer teams, calling it burden-sharing in action that the United States will continue to back. Hegseth was in Cebu for two days of ASEAN defence ministers' meetings and bilateral talks with counterparts.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：美国战争部长海格塞斯（资料照片，2026年2月摄于阿肯色州）。美国战争部官方照片，公共领域，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / Photo: U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (file photo, Arkansas, February 2026). U.S. Department of War photo, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
