Hegseth: US, China to open ‘military-to-military’ coms after Trump-Xi meeting

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said on Saturday, after talks with his Chinese counterpart, that the United States and China plan to establish military communication channels to “avoid conflict and calm” potential problems.

In a post on X, Hegseth said he had a “positive meeting” with Chinese Minister of National Defense Admiral Dong Jun, following president Donald Trump’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

During their talk, the two defense leaders agreed that the best path forward for the United States and China involves “peace, stability and good relations.”

“Admiral Dong and I also agreed that we should establish military channels to avoid conflict and calm any problems that might arise. We have more meetings on this topic soon. God bless both China and the United States!” Hegseth wrote in part.

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Earlier on Saturday, Hegseth attended a separate meeting in Malaysia with defense leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), where he urged them to counter Beijing’s aggressive actions in the South China Sea.

“China’s sweeping territorial and maritime claims in the South China Sea conflict with its commitments to resolve disputes peacefully,” Hegseth said at the meeting, according to the Associated Press.

“We seek peace. We do not seek conflict. But we must make sure that China does not seek to control you or anyone else,” he added.

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The South China Sea remains volatile, with Beijing, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei all claiming overlapping areas.

A Chinese Coast Guard vessel closely watches a convoy of Philippine fishing boats and a Philippine Coast Guard ship, on May 16, 2024. (Martin San Diego for The Washington Post via Getty Images)

China’s naval fleet has frequently clashed with the Philippines in disputed waters, with Chinese officials recently describing the country as a “troublemaker” for holding naval and air exercises with the United States, Australia and New Zealand.

Hegseth defended the US ally during Saturday’s meeting by saying that Beijing’s designation of the Scarborough Shoal – an area seized from the Philippines in 2012 – as a “nature reserve” “is another attempt to coerce new and expanded territorial and maritime claims at your expense.”

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The war minister then urged the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to finalize a code of conduct with China and proposed the creation of a “common maritime domain awareness” network and rapid response systems to deter provocations – measures he said would ensure that any member facing “aggression and provocations is not alone.”

Two Philippine Air Force FA-50 fighter jets fly with two U.S. Air Force B-1 bombers during a joint patrol and training exercise over the South China Sea on Tuesday, February 4, 2025. (Philippine Air Force via AP)

Hegseth also welcomed plans to hold naval exercises between ASEAN and the United States in December aimed at strengthening coordination and protecting freedom of navigation.