Overview
- In Kuala Lumpur, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth accused China of escalating coercive behavior in the South China Sea, citing ramming, water cannons and unlawful jurisdiction claims.
- Hegseth proposed a shared maritime domain awareness network to create a common operating picture so threats to one partner are visible to all.
- The United States offered to share advanced capabilities, including unmanned systems, to help Southeast Asian partners monitor activity and respond jointly.
- He welcomed a planned ASEAN–U.S. maritime exercise in December intended to build interoperability and support freedom of navigation.
- After talks with Chinese Defense Minister Admiral Dong Jun, Hegseth said Washington and Beijing agreed to restore direct military communication channels, with details and timelines still to be worked out.