Overview
- U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Chinese Defense Minister Admiral Dong Jun met in Kuala Lumpur on the ADMM-Plus sidelines and agreed to establish direct channels to deconflict and de-escalate incidents.
- Hegseth said he and Dong spoke again after their meeting and framed ties as improved, posting that the relationship "has never been better" and closing with "God bless both China and the USA."
- The public tone drew immediate criticism on social media and from commentators, with figures such as Adam Kinzinger questioning the messaging.
- Dong reiterated Beijing’s stance on Taiwan, urging Washington to oppose independence, while Hegseth affirmed U.S. commitments to Taiwan under existing law.
- Regional capitals signaled close attention to the shift, and the U.S. also advanced a 10-year defense framework with India as tensions over Taiwan and the South China Sea continue, with some reports citing prior U.S. intelligence assessments about potential Chinese timelines through 2027.