US Defense Secretary Hegseth softens China tone at Shangri-La, warns on Iran, AUKUS unveils undersea drone pact
At Asia's biggest defense summit in Singapore, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth dropped the harsh China rhetoric of last year and called relations with Beijing better than in years. He never mentioned Taiwan, after naming it five times in 2025, but warned the US is ready to resu
At Asia's biggest defense summit in Singapore, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth dropped the harsh China rhetoric of last year and called relations with Beijing better than in years. He never mentioned Taiwan, after naming it five times in 2025, but warned the US is ready to resume strikes on Iran if talks fail. The US, UK, and Australia also announced a new AUKUS project to develop unmanned undersea drones, with delivery set for 2027. China's defense minister Dong Jun skipped the forum for a second year running. Sources: SCMP, Washington Post, Al Jazeera, Reuters, Newsweek, USNews, Jakarta Post, CNBC.