US pushes new ASEAN defense framework at Cebu ministers summit
Why it matters: The proposal comes as Washington seeks tighter regional security ties amid South China Sea tensions and China's reduced presence at the meeting.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth urged ASEAN defense ministers in Cebu on Wednesday to develop a new US-ASEAN framework for defense cooperation, casting it as a practical guide for joint work over the next several years. He tied the push to the 50th anniversary of US-ASEAN relations next year and said Washington was ready to begin with Singapore, which will chair the ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting-Plus next year. Hegseth also pressed for stronger maritime domain awareness and closer naval cooperation. The meeting took place as the Philippines faces continuing confrontations with China in the South China Sea, and after Manila said Chinese military and coast guard activity in contested waters nearly doubled in September.