US Defense Secretary expected at ASEAN defense meetings in Cebu

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US DEFENSE Secretary Pete Hegseth is expected to join regional defense leaders in Cebu on Oct. 28 and 29 for meetings aimed at strengthening security cooperation amid continuing geopolitical challenges in the Indo-Pacific.

The Philippines is hosting the 20th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) and the 13th ADMM-Plus in Lapu-Lapu City, with Department of National Defense (DND) spokesperson Assistant Secretary Arsenio Andolong saying the anticipated US engagement could cover military modernization and future defense capabilities.

Andolong, speaking at a press briefing on Tuesday, Oct. 27, said the specific outcomes of bilateral discussions would depend on the agreements reached during the meetings.

He added that Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. would provide further details during his turnover address on Thursday, when the Philippines passes the ADMM and ADMM-Plus chairmanship to Singapore.

The meetings carry the theme “Navigating Our Future Together,” reflecting the country’s push to deepen partnerships and promote practical cooperation among regional defense establishments.

Maritime security, cybersecurity and the South China Sea are expected to figure in the discussions, alongside humanitarian assistance and disaster response, counterterrorism, peacekeeping, military medicine and humanitarian mine action.

Andolong said the West Philippine Sea and the broader South China Sea have regularly been discussed during previous ADMM engagements and are likely to remain part of the agenda.

“I expect that they will be a part of it,” Andolong said.

However, he cautioned that the final agenda and meeting outcomes were still being worked out by participating countries ahead of the formal sessions.

The Philippines has also invited China to participate, but Andolong said there was no confirmation yet on the composition of its delegation or whether its defense minister would attend.

Aside from the main ASEAN defense meetings, the Philippines will hold informal defense ministers’ meetings with Japan and the United States. Bilateral and smaller-group engagements are also scheduled on the sidelines.

Asked about security arrangements outside the ASEAN framework, including the Squad, Andolong said these should not be seen as competing with the ADMM.

He stressed that additional platforms for dialogue could help improve understanding among countries rather than divide the region.

Established in 2010, the ADMM-Plus brings ASEAN together with eight dialogue partners: Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, Russia and the United States.

This year’s gathering also marks the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia, which promotes respect for sovereignty, non-interference and peaceful settlement of disputes.

The proposed joint statements from the meetings remain subject to finalization and consensus among participating countries. The Philippines’ chairmanship will end on October 29 with the formal turnover to Singapore.(MyTVCebu)