Beijing [China], May 31: US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth sharply criticized European allies at a major security conference in Singapore, as he also warned of Chinese dominance in the Indo-Pacific.
Hegseth compared allies and partners in the Pacific with those in Europe in a speech delivered at the Shangri-La Dialogue security conference.
Asian partners traditionally pursue a pragmatic approach to alliances, he said. "When our interests align, we act together with focused resolve. When our interests diverge, we adjust pragmatically - without the drama or the moralizing," Hegseth said. "I think Western Europe might take note."
He also reiterated the Trump administration's demand for what it calls fairer burden-sharing within NATO. "The era of the United States subsidizing the defence of wealthy nations is over," Hegseth said, "We need partners, not protectorates."
Hegseth also addressed the situation in the Indo-Pacific, saying that Washington's goal is a "genuine stable equilibrium ... in which no state, including China, can impose hegemony and hold security of our nation and allies."
At the same time, he struck a conciliatory tone toward Beijing.
Relations between Washington and Beijing are "better than they have been in many years."
The administration of US President Donald Trump is striving for stable peace, fair trade and respectful relations with Beijing, he said.
Earlier this month Trump visited China for the first time since 2017.
The trip came as tensions between the two superpowers remain strained due to a number of issues ranging from tariffs to the race for dominance in the field of artificial intelligence.
Source: Qatar Tribune
