Cebu, Philippines - US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth proposed the creation of an "ambitious" new US-ASEAN defense framework on Wednesday, telling the bloc's leaders it could help them navigate "critically important" years ahead.
The US has been seeking to boost its regional defense partnerships in recent years, citing the need to uphold what it terms a "free and open Indo-Pacific" as China has increasingly flexed its muscles in the region.
Hegseth, speaking before a meeting with defense chiefs from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Cebu, praised what he called the region's "pragmatism" and "proud nationalism."
"We're not going to agree on everything, nor do we need to," he said, calling for cooperation where shared interests overlap.
"As we look to the future in this region, I'd like us to be even more ambitious... we propose that we work together to develop a US-ASEAN Framework for Defense Cooperation," Hegseth said, without offering details.
"A practical framework that guides our cooperation over the next several years. I will note a critically important next several years."
Hegseth added that the US was ready to begin the project as Singapore assumes the chairmanship of the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting (ADMM)-Plus in the coming year.
The grouping includes not only the bloc's 11 member states but representatives from the US, Japan, China, Australia, and others.
Hegseth calls for increased naval cooperation
Hegseth also called for the strengthening of "maritime domain awareness" and advanced cooperation among naval forces.
"These are not symbolic things; they are concrete demonstrations of what serious partners do, serious partners train together, learn together, plan together, and build the confidence and competence necessary to prevent conflict," he said.
US ally the Philippines has been engaged in years of confrontations with China over disputed areas of the South China Sea.
China's military and coast guard presence in contested areas of the critical waterway nearly doubled in September, Manila said this month.
Japanese defense chief Shinjiro Koizumi met Hegseth earlier on the sidelines of the Cebu event, where they discussed the need to implement "an effective denial defense in the First Island Chain," a reference to islands that lie between China and the open Pacific.
The two allies also committed to continued "close coordination" on munitions production.