The Indo-Pacific has been at the center of geopolitical tensions, with the U-S and China vying for influence. Pete Hegseth, former Fox News host and the 29th U-S Secretary of Defense, recently visited the region. He made strong statements about American security commitments. But what does his visit really mean for regional stability?
TRANSCRIPT
NAINA RAO: Standing before military personnel at Andersen Air Force Base, Pete Hegseth made it clear: Washington is serious about countering Beijing’s influence.
PETE HEGSETH: American leadership ensures the free world is protected. Our allies in this neighborhood see the encroachment of Communist China. We also stand with our allies to defend against that encroachment and defend American interests.
RAO: He repeatedly emphasized that the U-S is not looking for conflict. But…
HEGSETH: We're going to be strong so that we are able to deter war. This is not a social experiment. We're not here to pontificate with studies about climate change. You are at the tip of the sphere. You are America's power projection platform.
RAO: His visit comes as the U-S ramps up military cooperation in the region, through joint exercises, new defense agreements and stronger security ties with the Philippines and Japan. But experts say it wasn’t just about reassurance. It was also a message to China. Derek Grossman, a senior defense analyst at RAND, says Guam plays a critical role in that strategy.
DEREK GROSSMAN: Specifically countering China and potentially leveraging our military presence in Guam as part of that strategy. And if it comes to a war within the region, then we will be prepared to fight and win that war.
RAO: Guam’s strategic position, home to three U-S military bases, including the recently opened Marine Corps Base Camp Blaz, reinforces that role.
GROSSMAN: We see possibilities of a hub and spoke model linking Guam to CNMI, but perhaps to all of the freely associated states as kind of like a fallback plan within the second island chain. And so the idea is to have dispersed forces, hardened shelters. We would have systems that maintain their lethality at that distance.
RAO: Now, China continues asserting control over disputed waters in the South China Sea. Building military installations and clashing with regional navies. Hegseth’s visit signals Washington’s resolve, but analysts like Jose Antonio Custodio warn it could escalate tensions in the South China Sea. Custodio specializes in the Philippines’ military history.
JOSE ANTONIO CUSTODIO: There’s going to be intensified relations. It appears that the U.S. is still very much invested in keeping the sea lanes open and pushing back against China, even under a Trump administration.
RAO: For U-S allies, Hegseth’s visit comes amid heightened concerns following the leak of U-S military discussions in a Signal group chat… raising questions about the reliability of American security commitments. Still, at a joint press conference with Philippine Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro, Hegseth sought to reaffirm the alliance.
HEGSETH: My job is to advise and work alongside the president and then work with my fellow Cabinet members to ensure that we're operationalizing in every way possible, re-establishing that deterrence. Freedom of navigation is something the Philippines experiences in the South China Sea or the West Philippine Sea. It's something we take very seriously.
RAO: As a result, both Hegseth and Philippine leaders agreed that the U-S will deploy additional advanced defense capabilities to the archipelago nation.
HEGSETH: To enhance interoperability for high-end operations, we agreed to conduct bilateral special operation forces training in the Batanes Islands. Secretary Teodoro and I agreed to prioritize bilateral defense industrial cooperation.These efforts build on an ongoing $500 million commitment in foreign military financing.
RAO: Custodio says these measures are crucial, as the Philippines lack the modern naval capabilities needed to respond in the South China Sea.
CUSTODIO: That's why it's important for the Philippine military to send a signal to to its allies and partners that it is willing to cooperate together with them in the West Philippine Sea area and South China Sea area.
RAO: As tensions in the Indo-Pacific continue to rise, Hegseth’s visit serves as both a promise and a test. The region is listening. Whether this trip marks a turning point, or just rhetoric, remains to be seen. For K-P-R-G News, I’m Naina Rao.
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