By Danial Azhar

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) -U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth spoke on Friday with counterparts from China and India, beginning a series of face-to-face meetings at an ASEAN defence summit in Malaysia, as Washington seeks to boost regional security ties.

Hegseth said on X he told China’s Dong Jun the United States would “stoutly defend its interests” and maintain the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific, while voicing concern about Chinese activities in the disputed South China Sea and around Taiwan.

Hegseth hailed as “a cornerstone for regional stability and deterrence” a new 10-year defence cooperation framework he signed with Indian defence minister Rajnath Singh.

They were also expected to discuss a review of India’s plans to buy U.S. military hardware.

As Washington

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