Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth meet at the sidelines of annual ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM)-Plus in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu, on Wednesday, October 28. Official handout.
Manuel Mogato | October 29, 2026
LAPU-LAPU CITY, CEBU — US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth proposed on Wednesday creating a new Washington-led security architecture framework in Southeast Asia to counter China’s rise in the region.
The United States has boosted its regional defense partnerships, citing the need to uphold what it terms a “free and open Indo-Pacific” as China has increasingly flexed its muscles in the region.
Speaking before a meeting with ASEAN defense chiefs in Cebu, Hegseth praised what he called the region’s “pragmatism” and “proud nationalism.”
“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 elaborating.
“A practical framework that guides our cooperation over the next several years. I will note a critically important next several years. We’re not going to agree on everything, nor do we need to,” he added.
Hegseth said the United States is ready to begin the project as its ally Singapore assumes the chairmanship of the annual ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM)-Plus in 2027.
The ADMM-Plus includes ASEAN’s 11 member states and eight dialogue partners – Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, Russia, South Korea, and the United States.
Hegseth also called for strengthening the region’s “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.
He said the United States would defend its interests and those of its allies and partners.
Hegseth also met with Japanese defense chief Shinjiro Koizumi and discussed the need to implement “an effective denial defense in the First Island Chain,” an area east of China’s coast that includes Japan, Taiwan and the Philippines.
The two allies also committed to continued “close coordination” on munitions production
At the opening of ADMM, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro urged ASEAN countries to settle disputes, including those in the South China Sea, through peaceful and legal means.
“And where such differences exist, including in the South China Sea, we shall settle them through peaceful and legal means,” Teodoro said, urging member states to respect sovereignty and territorial integrity and renounce the threat or use of force.
ASEAN defense ministers adopted five new initiatives in Cebu based on a statement issued by the Department of National Defense (DND).
These include proposals for a maritime security conference on emerging technologies; a concept paper for a young defense leaders’ exchange program; a proposal to improve coordination between the ADMM-Plus and ASEAN Regional Forum defense dialogues; and a guide to ADMM and ADMM-Plus practices and protocols.