US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth on Saturday lashed out at China for its military activities in the South China Sea, calling for collective efforts to counter them, such as crafting a shared maritime domain awareness platform.

Hegseth made the remarks during a meeting with his counterparts from the 11-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on the margins of the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting-Plus in Kuala Lumpur, saying that America does not seek conflict, but must ensure that "China is not seeking to dominate you."

"At the Shangri-La Dialogue, I noted in my remarks that China's behaviour toward its neighbours and the world is a wake-up call -- shared examples of intimidation, harassment and illegal activities occurring within your sovereign waters and across the South

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