Hegseth Tells Asian Allies to Spend More on Defense

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has called on Asian allies to invest more in their own defense to counter China's growing military power, saying the era of the United States subsidizing allies' security is over.

Speaking at a forum in Singapore, Hegseth drew attention to what he described as China's unprecedented military buildup and stressed that no country should gain hegemony in the Pacific. He reiterated the Trump administration's position that allies must bear a greater share of their own defense costs, singling out Japan, South Korea and Australia for their approach to defense spending.

Hegseth also addressed tensions with Iran, saying Washington remains prepared to intervene militarily if diplomacy fails. On Taiwan, he affirmed the continuity of US policy, though he said the final decision on a new arms package would rest with President Trump.

(reuters)