During a meeting with his Chinese counterpart, Dong Jun, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth affirmed that the United States "will continue to vigorously defend its interests," alluding to escalating tensions between Washington and Beijing in the Asia-Pacific region.
In a post on the X platform, Hegseth stated that he conveyed Washington's concerns regarding Beijing's activities in the South China Sea to the Chinese minister, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a balance of power in the Indo-Pacific region.
US Defense Secretary to China: America "strongly defends" its interests
