“STEPPING UP”
Spending on weapons and research is spiking among some Asian countries as they respond to a darkening security outlook by broadening their outside industrial partnerships while trying to boost their own defence industries, according to a new study by the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies, the organisation that runs the Shangri-La Dialogue.
The spike comes even as the nations spent an average of 1.5 per cent of GDP on defence in 2024, a figure that has remained relatively constant over the last decade, it said.
Hegseth suggested during his speech that allies in Europe focus on security on the European continent, so that Washington could focus on the threat posed by China in the Indo Pacific, alongside more participation by allies in Asia.
“We’re pushing our allies in Europe to own more of their security – to invest in their own defence … Thanks to President Trump, they are stepping up,” Hegseth said.
But some of the Trump administration’s early moves in the Indo-Pacific have raised eyebrows. The US moved air defence systems from Asia to the Middle East earlier this year as tensions with Iran spiked – an effort which took 73 C-17 flights.
Hegseth, a former Fox TV host who has spent much of his first months in office focused on domestic issues, spoke to the international audience about issues that he has frequently talked about when in the United States, like “restoring the warrior ethos”.
“We are not here to pressure other countries to embrace or adopt our politics or ideology. We are not here to preach to you about climate change or cultural issues,” Hegseth said.
“We respect you, your traditions and your militaries. And we want to work with you where our shared interests align.”
Read the full article here
