Kuala Lumpur: Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun met with his American counterpart Pete Hegseth Friday to discuss enhancing military relations and exploring avenues for cooperation to ensure regional and global stability.
Held on the sidelines of the 12th ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) in Malaysia's capital, the talks marked the first direct engagement between the two ministers since the summit between Presidents Xi Jinping and Donald Trump in South Korea on Thursday.
According to China's Xinhua News Agency, Dong emphasized that the presidential summit laid strategic foundations for the next phase of China-US relations, paving the way for stable development across various sectors.
He stressed that military ties should be built on equality, mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and constructive growth, noting that stronger defense relations serve regional and international stability and help prevent misunderstandings and unnecessary escalation.
Hegseth described the meeting as good and constructive, stating on platform X that it addressed sensitive regional issues, particularly in the Indo-Pacific.
He reiterated the importance of maintaining a balance of power in the region, affirming that while the US does not seek conflict with China, it will firmly defend its national interests and maintain the capabilities necessary to protect them.
This diplomatic momentum follows the recent presidential summit, where both sides agreed to ease trade and military tensions and enhance cooperation on global challenges, including Korean Peninsula security and climate change.
The concurrent meetings reflect a mutual intent to keep communication channels open despite ongoing tensions.
The ADMM-Plus forum serves as a broad regional platform, bringing together defense ministers from 11 Southeast Asian nations and key dialogue partners including China, the United States, Russia, India, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand.
