US defence chief touts ‘flexible realism’ with China ahead of strategy document’s release

The US defence chief touted a message of peace, communication and “flexible realism” with China in a speech over the weekend, foreshadowing an American national defence strategy that is expected to be released soon.

In his keynote address at the annual Reagan National Defence Forum on Saturday, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said Washington was committed to putting “America first” and avoiding involvement in foreign entanglements as it prioritised domestic security.

Yet in drawing comparisons between the Donald Trump administration’s military strategies and those of former Republican president Ronald Reagan, Hegseth said Trump was “hell-bent” on “maintaining and accelerating the most powerful military the world has ever seen”.

Hegseth highlighted four distinct “lines of effort” to achieve America’s goals: defending the US homeland and its hemisphere; deterring China through strength rather than force; increasing burden-sharing between the US and its allies and partners; and supercharging America’s defence industrial base.

Hegseth looks on as US President Donald Trump speaks at the White House in Washington on Tuesday. Photo: AFP
Hegseth looks on as US President Donald Trump speaks at the White House in Washington on Tuesday. Photo: AFP
The defence chief’s comments appeared to preview the coming National Defence Strategy (NDS). Expected to be released later this month, the NDS is an elaboration of how the Pentagon will implement the National Security Strategy (NSS) unveiled last week.

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