US Defense Chief Warns China's Military Growth Requires Allies to Spend More, End 'Free-Riding'

United States Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has called on Asian allies to significantly boost their defense expenditures, urging them to allocate 3.5% of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to military spending. Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Hegseth declared an end to the era where the U.S. subsidizes the defense of wealthy nations, emphasizing that alliances must be founded on mutual risk-sharing.

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The era of the United States subsidizing the defense of wealthy countries is over.

"The era of the United States subsidizing the defense of wealthy countries is over," Hegseth stated, directly addressing the security forum. He stressed that the U.S. seeks partners, not protected states, and that the principle of "no free-riding" will guide future defense relationships in the Indo-Pacific. This policy aligns with potential defense strategies under a future Trump administration, which would prioritize allies contributing more to their own security.

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the United States needs partners, not protected states

Hegseth's remarks were framed against the backdrop of China's "historic military expansion" and its increasing operational scope. He acknowledged that heightened vigilance among regional nations is a "completely legitimate reaction" to China's growing military capabilities. While not naming specific countries, the U.S. has consistently pressed its Indo-Pacific partners to increase their defense budgets in recent years.

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no free-riding

The U.S. plans to invest $1.5 trillion in its own military forces. Hegseth briefly mentioned that Washington is maintaining military communication channels with Beijing, even as these demands for increased defense spending are being made. The new GDP benchmark is expected to be a key metric for evaluating how much defense responsibility partners are shouldering.

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completely legitimate reaction