Nations throughout the Indo-Pacific are rapidly strengthening their military capabilities and forging new defense partnerships as they navigate between China’s expanding military presence and uncertainties about America’s long-term regional commitment.
During Asia’s leading defense conference held Saturday, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth urged regional allies to take on greater security responsibilities. However, he encountered ongoing worries that American attention might be shifting away from the region due to conflicts in Iran demanding focus.
“We can do two things at one time,” Hegseth stated at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, an open forum bringing together defense leaders, military commanders, and intelligence officials from around the globe.
Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi expressed his belief that America’s dedication remained “unwavering,” though he recognized that certain nations might still question its determination.
During conversations with Reuters conducted alongside the yearly conference, defense ministers and military leaders from the region emphasized their drive to strengthen cooperation beyond America’s traditional security framework.
“All the defence secretaries here present are unanimous in the need to make agile and speedy upscaling of their own individual defence capabilities,” Philippines Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro shared with Reuters.
Teodoro characterized this effort as “buttressing” America’s conventional role, with Manila expanding defense relationships with nations including Japan, Australia, Canada and New Zealand.
“The commitment of the United States becomes more solid when more actors, at least in the deterrence phase, come in, because there is a common threat,” he explained.
Japan is establishing itself as a central point for this expanding network of partnerships.
Koizumi indicated that Tokyo seeks to serve as a “connecting point” for enhanced regional collaboration beyond China’s influence.
This past April, Japan announced its most significant revision of defense export policies in decades, eliminating barriers to international arms sales and creating opportunities for exporting naval vessels, missiles and additional military equipment.
“Japan will be even more proactive in defence equipment cooperation,” Koizumi announced at the conference. “Our aim is to ensure that each country has the capabilities it needs and to make them available when needed.”
Canada’s Chief of Defence Staff General Jennie Carignan reported that her military forces were increasing their regional involvement, working with Japan and the Philippines on cybersecurity initiatives and naval training while providing English language instruction to Indonesian military personnel.
“There is a lot of work to do in the Indo-Pacific region. And I think this is why we are seeing probably an increase of partnership across the board,” Carignan informed Reuters.
New Zealand is also evaluating stronger relationships and new military equipment. Defence Minister Chris Penk verified that Wellington is seriously examining Japanese and British ships to substitute for its aging ANZAC-class frigates.
Penk met with counterparts from Singapore, Malaysia, Australia and Britain during the conference to discuss expanding cooperation under their 54-year-old Five-Powered Defence Arrangement.
Penk, who assumed his position in April, noted opportunities for advancing the agreement “at a more intense level.”
“And so if we can find new ways to interact with others as well as maintaining those existing connections, then we’ll look to do that at the same time,” Penk stated during an interview.
While regional countries were strengthening mutual relationships, Asian leaders maintained that American dedication to the Indo-Pacific remains strong despite Middle Eastern conflicts or President Donald Trump’s “America First” approach.
“Our confidence is not swayed by reason of the involvement of the United States in Iran, for example, and in other areas,” the Philippines’ Teodoro remarked.
For Australia, Defence Minister Richard Marles characterized relations with Washington as “absolutely fundamental to our national security.”
“For both of us, the Trump administration and the Albanese government in Australia, we see ourselves as stewards of a relationship which goes well beyond us,” Marles told Reuters.
