Pete Hegseth, the Pentagon chief, recently spoke out against China's actions in the South China Sea, calling them destabilizing. He was in Kuala Lumpur for meetings with allies like Australia, Japan, and the Philippines. Hegseth offered to help Southeast Asian countries by sharing technology to monitor and respond to Chinese threats.

He said, "China's actions threaten your sovereignty and go against the rules. " He also mentioned that the U. S. is ready to share its advanced tools with allies to improve their ability to respond to any aggression. "No one can innovate and scale like the U. S. , " he added.

Hegseth's comments came after a military drill in the South China Sea involving the U. S. , Australia, New Zealand, and the Philippines. China criticized this drill, saying it undermined peace and stability in the region.

China claims almost the entire South China Sea as its territory, which overlaps with the economic zones of other countries like Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam. China has sent many coast guard ships to the area, which have clashed with other countries' vessels and disrupted their activities.

China denies acting aggressively, saying its coast guard is just defending Chinese territory. Meanwhile, the U. S. has been talking about testing its nuclear weapons, which has raised some concerns. Hegseth said that testing is necessary to ensure the U. S. remains strong and ready.

In his speech to ASEAN defense ministers, Hegseth emphasized the U. S. 's commitment to peace and its allies. He said the U. S. seeks peace but will not let China dominate others. He also mentioned the importance of dialogue with China, but warned that China's actions need to be watched closely.

ASEAN RELATIONS

U. S. Promises Tech Help to Counter China's Moves in South China Sea

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