US, India sign defense deal; China talks held in Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 31 (KUNA) -- Pete Hegseth, US Defense Secretary, signed on Friday a 10-year defense agreement with India, and also held a meeting with his Chinese counterpart on the sidelines of the 12th ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) in Malaysia.
In a post on X, Hegseth said, "I just met with Rajnath Singh (India's Defense Minister) to sign a 10-year U.S.-India Defense Framework." "This advances our defense partnership, a cornerstone for regional stability and deterrence," he added, noting, "We're enhancing our coordination, info sharing, and tech cooperation. Our defense ties have never been stronger." In another post on X, Hegseth said that he had met with his Chinese counterpart, Admiral Dong Jun, deeming the meeting as "good" and "constructive." "Today, I met with China's Minister of National Defense Admiral Dong Jun on the sidelines of the ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting Plus. It was a good and constructive meeting." He said, "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 in the Indo-Pacific." He added, "United States does not seek conflict, it will continue to stoutly defend its interests and ensure it has the capabilities in the region to do so. Today's meeting followed our September 9 video teleconference call with Admiral Dong." "We will continue discussions with the People's Liberation Army on matters of mutual importance," he affirmed.
Hegseth had also met with other counterparts from Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, and Russia to explore cooperation and coordination.
Hegseth also met with his Malaysian counterpart Mohammad Khaled Nordin, expressing shared desire to secure navigation in the South China Sea, an area of interest for many countries including Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam.
The ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting-Plus focuses on several traditional and non-traditional security challenges in addition to cooperation between regional and international partners in the Indo-Pacific region. (end) aab.gta