US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is urging Southeast Asian nations to stand firm and strengthen their maritime forces to counter China's increasingly "destabilising" actions in the South China Sea.

Speaking at a meeting in Malaysia with his counterparts from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Hegseth reiterated US concern over what he called China's aggression in the disputed waters that intensified in recent months, citing incidents such as ramming of vessels and the use of water cannons.

The South China Sea remains one of Asia's most volatile flashpoints. Beijing claims almost the entire region, while ASEAN members the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei also claim ownership of coastal areas and features.

The Philippines, a key US ally, has had frequent clashes with Ch

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