Threat or partner? US Defence Secretary shifts tone on China in hours

In a sign of the US’s dilemma over how exactly to treat China, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth went from urging ASEAN members to counter China’s aggression to saying that US-China ties have “never been better” within a matter of hours on Saturday (November 1).

Speaking at a meeting in Malaysia with his counterparts from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Hegseth reiterated US concerns over what he called China’s aggression in the disputed waters, citing incidents such as the ramming of vessels and the use of water cannons.

The volatile South China Sea

He warned that Beijing’s provocative behaviour threatened the sovereignty of its neighbours and regional stability.

“China’s sweeping territorial and maritime claims in the South China Sea fly in the face of their commitments to resolve disputes peacefully,” he said. “We seek peace. We do not seek conflict. But we must ensure that China is not seeking to dominate you or anybody else.”

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The South China Sea remains one of Asia’s most volatile flashpoints. Beijing claims almost the entire region, while ASEAN members the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei also claim ownership of coastal areas and features. The Philippines, a key US ally, has had frequent clashes with China’s maritime fleet.

Call for ‘shared maritime domain awareness’ network

Manila has repeatedly urged a stronger regional response, but ASEAN has traditionally sought to balance caution with economic ties to Beijing, the region’s largest trading partner.

Hegseth criticised Beijing’s recent declaration of the Scarborough Shoal — seized from the Philippines in 2012 — as a “nature reserve”. He told the meeting it was “yet another attempt to coerce new and expanded territorial and maritime claims at your expense.”

He urged ASEAN to hasten the conclusion of a long-delayed Code of Conduct being negotiated with China to govern behaviour in the sea... He also proposed developing shared maritime surveillance and rapid-response systems to deter provocation.

A “shared maritime domain awareness” network, he said, would ensure that any member facing “aggression and provocation is not alone”. He also welcomed plans for an ASEAN-US maritime exercise in December to strengthen regional coordination and uphold freedom of navigation.

Tone softens within hours

However, early on Sunday, Hegseth posted on X that he had spoken again with China’s Defence Minister, Admiral Dong Jun, on Saturday following their bilateral meeting the previous day.

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Both sides agreed to establish military-to-military communications channels to discuss any problems that might arise, he said. They also agreed that “peace, stability, and good relations are the best path for our two great and strong countries,” he added.

Hegseth said he spoke to President Donald Trump and that they agreed “the relationship between the US and China has never been better.”

Trump’s meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in South Korea earlier this week “set the tone for everlasting peace and success for the US and China”, added Hegseth, who was set to leave Malaysia on Sunday for Hanoi.

Damage control

The contrasting messages — a sharp warning at the ASEAN meeting followed by conciliatory language online — underscored Washington’s effort to balance deterrence with diplomacy amid rising tensions with Beijing.

“This is damage control. More importantly, it reflects two different currents in US relations with China — one that sees China as a threat and another a possible partner”, news agency AP quoted Southeast Asian political analyst Bridget Welsh as saying.

China blames the Philippines, US

China rejects US criticism of its maritime conduct, accusing Washington of interfering in regional affairs and provoking tensions through its military presence. Chinese officials say their patrols and construction activities are lawful and aimed at maintaining security in what they consider Chinese territory.

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Chinese officials Saturday slammed the Philippines for being a “troublemaker” after Manila staged naval and air drills with the US, Australia and New Zealand in the South China Sea. The two-day exercise that ended Friday was the 12th that the Philippines says it has carried out with partner nations since last year to protect its rights in the disputed waters.

Tian Junli, spokesperson of China’s People’s Liberation Army Southern Theater Command, said the exercise seriously undermined regional peace and stability. “It further proves that the Philippines is the troublemaker in the South China Sea issue and a saboteur of regional stability,” he said.

(With agency inputs)