What Happened
Defense Secretary Calls for Increased Regional Defense Spending
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has called on Asian allies to increase military spending to counter China’s military buildup. Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Hegseth expressed concern over China’s activities in the region and beyond, but also struck a more moderate tone on US-China relations. The speech comes after President Donald Trump’s recent summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, which both sides hailed as a success. This development was reported by NPR.