Hegseth calls on allies to strengthen military, scholar says US strategic vigilance toward China remains

US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth spoke at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore this week, with fewer direct mentions of China than last year. International political scholars in Singapore analyzed today that this is consistent with signals sent after Trump's visit to China, but that the US call for Asian partners to take on important roles indicates that US strategic vigilance toward China has not diminished. The 2026 Shangri-La Dialogue was held in Singapore from the 29th to the 31st. This important Asia-Pacific security forum attracted attention from major global media. In his speech yesterday, US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth pointed out that concerns about China's military expansion and the extension of its military activities inside and outside the region are reasonable, emphasizing that 'no country, including China, can establish hegemony,' and that it poses a threat to the security of the US and its allies. Regarding the decrease in direct mentions of China compared to last year, Chong Ja Ian, an associate professor of political science at the National University of Singapore, analyzed in an interview with CNA today that Hegseth's avoidance of direct conflict with China in public is consistent with the signals released after Trump's visit to China. Former Defense Minister Andrew Yang, who attended the event as a scholar, believes that the main focus of Hegseth's talk was on how to strengthen collective cooperation in regional security and urge allies to increase military spending. Given the relatively low level of the Chinese delegation this year, it is clear from Hegseth's remarks that he does not want to provoke conflict. Chong further pointed out that Hegseth's call for allies and Asian partners to take on more important roles and increase defense investment shows that the US strategic vigilance toward China has not diminished. From China's repeated public statements, it is clear that even if Hegseth sends a message to avoid conflict, Beijing still views US military deployments and security cooperation in the Asia-Pacific as targeted actions. Singaporean Defense Minister Chan Chun Sing hosted a breakfast meeting for the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA) on the sidelines today, attended by the defense ministers of Australia, New Zealand, and Malaysia, and the Director General of Security Policy at the UK Ministry of Defence. The UK, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, and Malaysia signed the FPDA in 1971. FPDA members conduct the annual 'Bersama Shield' military exercise in the South China Sea, and the British Navy has stated that since the signing of the FPDA, the five members have been committed to ensuring regional security in Southeast Asia through the agreement. According to Singapore's Ministry of Defence, the FPDA has continued to improve the collaborative capabilities of its members over the decades, jointly conducting traditional military exercises and gradually incorporating security cooperation such as humanitarian and disaster relief, counter-terrorism, and maritime security. The ministers reaffirmed that the FPDA is a constructive, transparent, and peaceful defense cooperation mechanism with significant strategic importance, playing a role in the regional security architecture. Chong said that according to the mechanism, if an emergency occurs, the contracting parties will first consult, and it remains to be seen whether cooperation will be further expanded or given more functions in the future. Hegseth also pointed out yesterday that the US, UK, and Australia are working together to develop unmanned underwater vehicles as part of their AUKUS defense agreement. This project belongs to the so-called 'second pillar' of AUKUS, which aims to develop advanced defense technologies such as quantum computing, underwater warfare, hypersonics, and AI.