Hegseth strikes softer tone on China and stays quiet on Taiwan

Instead, Hegseth vaguely said no “hegemon” should dominate the region. The comment could refer to China or the United States. Following the security conference, reporters asked Hegseth if he adopted a “softer” stance toward China. The secretary indicated the U.S. is willing to cooperate with China while simultaneously demonstrating its strength. In answering reporters’ questions, he also addressed Taiwan. “I think our message today was very much in sync with precisely where the president wants to go, which is we’re going to be strong, but we can speak softly while carrying that big stick and be very clear about the…