Hegseth Heads to Cebu: Can America Convince Asia It Is Staying?

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A Meeting With Real Stakes

Hegseth is attending the ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting-Plus in Cebu, a province in the central Philippines. The wider program runs from October 26 to 30. ASEAN is the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, a ten-member regional bloc. Eight partner countries also take part, including the United States, China, Japan, India and Russia.

The Pentagon says the trip is meant to strengthen deterrence, deepen alliances and encourage regional partners to share more of the defense burden.

The Philippines, which currently chairs ASEAN, plans to hand the defense chairmanship to Singapore on October 29.

Questions Over Iran and the Pacific

The US and Israel launched strikes on Iran on February 28. Since then the war has disrupted shipping and oil markets. That hit import-dependent Southeast Asian economies and moved energy security higher on ASEAN's agenda.

Analysts expect regional officials to ask three things in private talks with Hegseth:

• how the Iran conflict will end,
• what Washington expects from its allies and partners,
• whether the war leaves enough US capacity for the Pacific.

Collin Koh of Singapore's S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies said governments want clarity on the reliability of US alliances. Greg Poling of the Center for Strategic and International Studies said most countries want reassurance, given political turmoil in Washington and the strain the war has put on US readiness.

The Philippines Between Two Powers

The Philippines is a US treaty ally, and its relations with Beijing have worsened. The causes include repeated confrontations at sea, Chinese sanctions and the recent summoning of China's ambassador in Manila. Days before the meeting, the Philippine military said it had shadowed China's Liaoning aircraft carrier group as it passed waters south of the country.

Manila's defense department says its top priority in Cebu is strengthening the alliance with Washington. It names military modernization, capability building and maritime security as the main topics.

China's defense attaché in the Philippines will attend. That sets up a meeting between a host in dispute with Beijing and a Chinese delegation in the same room.

What to Expect

Poling expects practical cooperation on ASEAN working groups, such as maritime security and counter-terrorism, but no shared strategy on the South China Sea. Progress on a binding code of conduct for the sea has stalled.

Koh expects the final chairman's statement to be cautious and written in familiar ASEAN language, because the Philippines' position as chair while in a dispute with China is delicate. The sharper messages are more likely to come in closed talks and in meetings of like-minded partners. One example is the "Squad" of the United States, Japan, Australia and the Philippines, whose defense chiefs are scheduled to meet on October 28.

Background and Outlook

Hegseth has pushed the same themes in the region before. At last year's ASEAN defense meeting in Kuala Lumpur, he signed a ten-year defense framework with India and announced a "Task Force Philippines" for deterrence. He also told China's defense minister that the US would defend its interests.

More diplomacy follows. The annual ASEAN summit is due in Manila next month. A meeting between President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping is also expected on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. Trump's firm line toward Beijing, backed by stronger alliances, will be tested in Cebu this week.

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Sources

1. Reuters, "Hegseth likely to face questions on US role in Indo-Pacific at ASEAN summit" (Oct 28, 2026): https://www.reuters.com/world/china/hegseth-likely-face-questions-us-role-indo-pacific-asean-summit-2026-10-27/
2. Daily Tribune (Philippines), "Philippines eyes stronger US defense ties at ASEAN talks" (Oct 27, 2026): https://tribune.net.ph/2026/10/27/philippines-eyes-stronger-us-defense-ties-at-asean-talks
3. Daily Tribune (Philippines), "China tension shadows ASEAN talks" (Oct 27, 2026): https://tribune.net.ph/2026/10/27/china-tension-shadows-asean-talks
4. UA.News, summarizing South China Morning Post reporting, "Hegseth visits Philippines for ASEAN defense ministers' meeting": https://ua.news/en/dovkolo-svitu/gegset-vidvidaie-filippini-dlia-zustrichi-ministriv-oboroni-asean-south-china-morning-post
5. TVB News, "Hegseth backs military alliances with India and Philippines during ASEAN meeting" (Oct 31, 2025): https://news.tvb.com/tc/802307-HegsethbacksmilitaryallianceswithIndiaandPhilippinesduringASEANmeeting
6. US Department of Defense, "Readout of Secretary Hegseth's Meeting With Southeast Asian Defense Ministers" (May 30, 2025): https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/4201764/

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