Hegseth Urges USASEAN Collaboration to Counter China in South China Sea

Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth attends the ASEAN—United States Defence Ministers Hi-Tea at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Defence Ministers’ Meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Nov. 1, 2025. Hasnoor Hussain/Pool/AFP via Getty ImagesPentagon chief Pete Hegseth criticized China’s increasingly “destabilizing” actions in the South China Sea on Nov. 1, calling on Southeast Asian countries to work closely with the United States to face Beijing’s aggression.Hegseth made the remarks while meeting with his counterparts from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on his second day in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia last week. He said Beijing’s provocative behaviors, such as its vessels ramming other ships and firing water cannons, threatened the sovereignty of its neighbors and undermined regional stability.