Secretary Hegseth’s engagements in Singapore spanned keynote remarks, bilateral talks, and multilateral statements to reinforce regional defence cooperation.
Singapore, 31 May–1 June 2025 – US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth participated in the 2025 Shangri-La Dialogue and associated meetings, underscoring America’s enduring commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. At the dialogue’s opening on 31 May, he delivered a keynote address in which he reiterated the United States’ intent to deter aggression through strength, highlighted ongoing modernisation efforts, and stressed the need for alliance burden-sharing. During his speech, held at the Shangri-La Hotel and hosted by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), Secretary Hegseth outlined the Department of Defense’s priorities: restoring the warrior ethos, rebuilding military capabilities, and reestablishing credible deterrence across the region.
On 30 May 2025, Secretary Hegseth held a bilateral discussion with Philippine Secretary of National Defense Gilberto Teodoro, Jr. in which both officials reaffirmed the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty and reviewed steps to bolster alliance readiness. They celebrated the recently concluded Exercise BALIKATAN, the largest joint exercise to date and noted the deployment of advanced systems such as the Typhon missile and unmanned surface vessels. The following day, he met with Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Phumtham Wechayachai to review US assistance provided after the 28 March earthquake and to renew their long-standing bilateral security cooperation.
On 31 May, Secretary Hegseth joined counterparts from Australia and Japan, Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles and Minister of Defense Nakatani Gen in a joint statement emphasising concern over China’s actions in the East and South China Seas. The four-way meeting also included Philippine Secretary Teodoro. Collectively, they announced synchronized defence investments, expanded information-sharing arrangements, enhanced cybersecurity cooperation, and plans for greater operational interoperability, including trilateral and multilateral exercises and air surveillance initiatives.
On 1 June, Secretary Hegseth concluded his Singapore engagements with a bilateral meeting with Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles. They discussed aligning defence investments to the Indo-Pacific security environment, accelerating US force posture initiatives in Australia, and bolstering supply chain resilience. Secretary Hegseth also welcomed the new Precision Strike Missile Memorandum of Understanding America’s first long-range fire cooperation on foreign soil and urged Australia to raise defence spending to 3.5 percent of GDP.
Source: U.S Embassy Singapore Website, U.S Embassy Singapore Social Media
