Secretary of War Pete Hegseth flexed America’s willingness to “stoutly defend” its interests in the South China Sea during a meeting with Chinese admiral Dong Jun.

Hegseth met with his Chinese counterpart during a defense-focused portion of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit on Friday, calling their conversation “good and constructive.”

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“I highlighted the importance of maintaining a balance of power in the Indo-Pacific and emphasized U.S. concerns about China’s activities in the South China Sea, around Taiwan, and towards U.S. allies and partners

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