US defence chief presses Asia partners to boost military budgets against China

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth urged Washington's Indo-Pacific allies to ramp up their defence spending to 5% of GDP, warning that heightened urgency is essential to deter a potential Chinese military move against Taiwan.

Speaking on May 31 at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Hegseth outlined a hardline stance reflective of President Donald Trump’s broader security strategy for the region, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

In his first major policy address since taking office, Hegseth signalled a dramatic shift in focus from Europe to Asia, drawing parallels with NATO and suggesting that the administration would press Asian allies just as hard as European partners to contribute more to their own defence.

“NATO members are pledging to spend 5% of their GDP on defence — even Germany,” Hegseth said. “So it doesn’t make sense for countries in Europe to do that while key allies in Asia spend less on defence in the face of an even more formidable threat, not to mention North Korea.”

The comments mark a continuation of Trump-era demands for US allies to bear more of the burden of their own security. Hegseth did not directly reference cost-sharing negotiations with Japan and South Korea, but his speech made clear that such financial expectations remain. “The only way to ensure lasting alliances and partnerships is to make sure that each side does its part,” he stated.

While the US itself does not allocate 5% of its GDP to defence, it still maintains the world’s largest military budget. In the Asia-Pacific, few nations come close to the threshold Hegseth promoted. As of last year, South Korea led the region at 2.6%, followed by Taiwan, Australia, Japan, and the Philippines, according to data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.

In a pointed warning to countries attempting to balance growing defence ties with the US while expanding economic engagement with Beijing, Hegseth said this dual-track strategy is unsustainable in the face of China’s increasing assertiveness.

“Urgency and vigilance” are essential, he emphasised, noting that although “nobody knows what China will ultimately do,” its military preparations demand a strong and immediate response.

Hegseth sought to reassure China that the US “does not seek war,” repeating the message twice. Still, he made clear that economic interdependence would not shield allies from pressure to expand their defence industrial capacities. “The threat China poses is real,” he warned.

His visit to Singapore follows trips to Japan and the Philippines in March, but the Shangri-La Dialogue offered Hegseth his most prominent platform yet to lay out the Trump administration’s Indo-Pacific defence vision for the next three years. He described the region as the “priority theatre” for the US.

In contrast to previous years, when top defence officials from the US and China would often meet on the sidelines of the forum, this year, Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun opted not to attend. Hegseth pointedly referenced the absence in his speech, underscoring the growing chill in US-China military relations.

Under the Biden administration, Hegseth's predecessor, Lloyd Austin, had tried to maintain open lines with Beijing, even while strengthening US alliances in the region. Now, the Trump administration's more confrontational approach appears poised to raise tensions once again.

Just a day before Hegseth’s speech, Trump accused China of breaching an agreement to reduce tariffs and introduced fresh trade restrictions, including tighter controls on chip design software and revocation of some Chinese student visas — actions Beijing denounced as “discriminatory.”

In his Singapore address, Hegseth also echoed a key theme from Trump’s recent speech in Saudi Arabia, reaffirming that the US is not seeking to impose its political system on others. “We’re not here to impose our will on you,” he said. But he was firm that American security commitments come with expectations: “We will not abandon our allies, but we will demand more from them.”

By Tamilla Hasanova