11 ASEAN Nations Gather in Manila as US Defense Chief Seeks to Reassure Asia-Pacific

Defense officials from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations are gathering in Manila this week to discuss regional security. The event runs from Wednesday to Thursday and includes representatives from the 11 ASEAN member states plus eight dialogue partners. Australia, New Zealand, Russia, and China are also expected to send delegates. This gathering comes as Washington seeks to reaffirm its commitments to the region after a year defined by the fallout from the US-Israel war on Iran.

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is attending the ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting-Plus, or ADMM-Plus. He is joined by his counterparts from India, South Korea, and Japan. A parallel meeting for ASEAN members only will also take place, bringing together officials from Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam. India plans to hold bilateral meetings on the sidelines to review defense ties and explore stronger strategic partnerships, according to state media.

William Yang, a senior analyst for Northeast Asia at the International Crisis Group, stated that regional security concerns will dominate the agenda. These include Myanmar's ongoing civil war and maritime disputes between ASEAN states and China. Yang noted that the South China Sea dispute will be a central topic because the Philippines holds the chair for this year's summit. He expects Manila to push for ASEAN to finalize a code of conduct with China regarding maritime disputes and conflict management in the waterway.

The Philippines, China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan all maintain overlapping territorial claims in the South China Sea. Beijing asserts sovereignty over most of the sea as domestic waters. Conflicts frequently arise between Beijing and its neighbors, particularly Manila, over the uninhabited Scarborough Shoal and parts of the Spratly Islands. Tensions escalated this month with at least eight close encounters reported in the South China Sea and nearby Luzon Strait by the US Naval Institute.

Diplomatic friction intensified when Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Jing Quan suggested Beijing could easily win a war with the Philippines. A Philippine senator responded by calling for the ambassador's expulsion. Beijing has not yet confirmed whether Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun will attend ADMM-Plus in person, though a last-minute appearance remains possible. Dong attended the meeting in 2024 and 2025, according to Bonnie Glaser, managing director of the German Marshall Fund's Indo-Pacific Program.

Hegseth's presence may influence Beijing's decision. China and the US have spent the past year improving their relationship. A face-to-face meeting between Hegseth and Dong could prepare the ground for two upcoming meetings between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping later this year. These follow two previous Trump-Xi meetings earlier in the year. Glaser said it is possible Dong will attend again and that a meeting with Hegseth is likely, given China's stated focus on crisis communications between the two militaries.

Analysts indicate that Hegseth's primary task is to reassure ASEAN and its partners that the US remains committed to the region. This assurance is critical amid the months-long US conflict with Iran. Washington has raised concerns in Asia by shifting military assets from South Korea and Japan to the Middle East. Additionally, President Trump has sent mixed signals regarding Taiwan, another potential flashpoint in the region.

Trump has reportedly delayed a major arms package to Taiwan ahead of his November meeting with Xi at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. This precedes the Group of 20 Leaders' Summit in December. Ja Ian Chong, a political scientist at the National University of Singapore, noted the complexity of Hegseth's role. Chong pointed to recent comments by US defense official Elbridge Colby, who suggested Washington would prioritize substance over empty gestures in the Asia-Pacific. Chong said the calibration of these lines while maintaining a US advantage will be a key challenge.