US War Secretary Pete Hegseth proposes US-ASEAN defense cooperation framework

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United States Secretary of War Pete Hegseth on Wednesday proposed developing a framework for defense cooperation between America and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) ahead of the 50th anniversary of relations between Washington and the regional bloc in 2027.

Hegseth made the proposal during the ASEAN-United States Defense Ministers' (ADMM) Informal Meeting in Cebu.

"Next year marks the 50th anniversary formally of US-ASEAN relations, an important milestone," Hegseth said.

"In recognition of this milestone, we propose that we work together to develop a US-ASEAN framework for defense cooperation, a practical framework that guides our cooperation over the next several years," he added.

Hegseth said Washington is ready to begin working on the proposed framework with Singapore as the latter assumes the chairmanship of the ADMM-Plus.

'Peace through strength'

According to Hegseth, the US wanted to strengthen cooperation with ASEAN members particularly in maritime domain awareness, military interoperability, and naval cooperation.

Hegseth stressed the US commitment to a more stable, secure, and prosperous Indo-Pacific.

"Strong enough to deter coercion and aggression. Quiet enough to avoid needless escalation or public theatrics and to let our actions speak for themselves," he said.

"But clear enough that our friends, our partners, and potential adversaries understand precisely where the United States stands and that we will defend our interests and the interests of our allies and partners. That is, by definition, peace through strength," he added.

For Hegseth, the strategy is intended to deter coercion and aggression while avoiding unnecessary escalation and clearly communicating the US position to its allies, partners, and potential adversaries.

"We're not going to agree on everything, nor do we need to. But an agreement on the fundamentals is enough to support practical cooperation where our shared interests are overlapping and are clear," Hegseth said.

Engagement with US

Meanwhile, Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto "Gibo" Teodoro Jr. welcomed continued US engagement in Southeast Asia and expressed appreciation for Washington's support for ASEAN centrality and ASEAN-led mechanisms.

"We value the United States' sustained engagement. With the defense establishments of ASEAN as a robust US presence is necessary for peace and stability in Southeast Asia and in the broader Indo-Pacific region," he said.

Teodoro cited existing cooperation in maritime security, military medicine, cybersecurity, and humanitarian assistance and disaster response.

He said these initiatives provided opportunities to strengthen partnerships in support of regional peace and stability and a free and open Indo-Pacific.

The Philippines is hosting the 20th ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting (ADMM) and the 13th ADMM-Plus on October 28 and 29 in Cebu.

ADMM is ASEAN's highest defense consultative and cooperative mechanism, according to the Department of National Defense (DND).

The ADMM-Plus expands defense cooperation to eight dialogue partners, including Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, Russia, and the United States.

The South China Sea and the West Philippine Sea are expected to be among the topics discussed during the meetings. — VDV, GMA News