Pete Hegseth, US Secretary of Defense, spoke at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, where defense ministers, military chiefs, diplomats, and analysts gathered for the annual forum. The event was seen as a key indicator of US policy direction. Hegseth stated concern about China's military buildup in Asia and said no state, including China, must dominate Asia. He also said the US expects its Asian allies and partners to increase defense spending to 3.5% of their GDPs. Global tensions remain elevated, with ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and Europe, as of the time of the dialogue. According to Bluesky, Hegseth spoke about US-China ties at the event. According to DW, Hegseth stated concern about China's military buildup in Asia and made the remarks on defense spending and regional dominance. According to CNA, global tensions remain elevated. According to SCMP, the gathering included senior defense and diplomatic officials and the dialogue was expected to provide the first indication of US policy direction.