The U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth met Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun in Kuala Lumpur on Friday, marking their first face-to-face meeting since President Donald Trump’s return to office.
Today, I met with China’s Minister of National Defense Admiral Dong Jun on the sidelines of the ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting Plus. It was a good and constructive meeting. I highlighted the importance of maintaining a balance of power in the Indo-Pacific and emphasized U.S.… pic.twitter.com/CcipIBWb4b
— Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) October 31, 2025
The talks followed the Xi-Trump summit in South Korea, which sought to stabilize U.S.-China relations.
Both sides emphasized restraint and communication. Hegseth reaffirmed that the U.S. “does not seek conflict,” while Dong urged Washington to back its words with “concrete actions” and to oppose “Taiwan independence.”
The Chinese minister warned that reunification across the Taiwan Strait was “an unstoppable historical trend.”
US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has told China's Defense Minister Dong Jun that the US will defend its Indo-Pacific interests. He also voiced concerns about Chinese moves in areas including around Taiwan. pic.twitter.com/A9MofGZ5Y9
— TaiwanPlus News (@taiwanplusnews) October 31, 2025
While discussions remained cordial, tensions over Taiwan and the South China Sea linger. Hegseth also met with Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., vowing to “reestablish deterrence” in the region.
The meeting came amid reports that the Pentagon’s evolving national defense strategy could shift focus toward protecting the homeland over direct competition with China and Russia.
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TIPP Staff
