At the recent ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus held in Kuala Lumpur, United States Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth proposed establishing a joint maritime situational awareness network and pledged to provide technical support to assist Southeast Asian countries in collectively addressing China’s “destabilizing” actions in the region. Experts pointed out that this mechanism not only integrates intelligence and early warning capabilities but also signals strategic assurance from the United States to ASEAN, effectively deterring China.
Hegseth, during his participation in the ADMM-Plus meeting in the Malaysian capital on November 1st, presented the idea of establishing a shared “maritime situational awareness” system to the defense ministers in attendance.
This system will integrate various monitoring tools such as aerial and underwater unmanned vehicles (UUVs), surface vessels, aiming to strengthen maritime surveillance capabilities at lower costs and risks. Its core mechanism lies in providing real-time alerts to all member countries when any member faces a threat, forming a regional defense network.
Hegseth bluntly pointed out at the meeting that China’s aggressive actions in the South China Sea and other areas pose a common threat to ASEAN countries.
He particularly criticized China’s recent establishment of a “national level protection area” around the disputed Huangyan Island, calling it “yet another attempt to sacrifice ASEAN’s interests in exchange for coercive tactics to achieve new, expanded territorial and maritime claims.”
The Pentagon chief urged ASEAN to enhance its capabilities and develop joint response mechanisms to “ensure that any party facing aggression and provocation can receive united support.” The United States pledged to actively share technological support with its ASEAN allies and partners leveraging its advantages in innovation and scalability.
Notably, the day before the meeting, Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines, and the US conducted joint exercises in the South China Sea, drawing ire from the Chinese military. In response, Hegseth reiterated the commitment to maintaining regional peace, emphasizing the US’s dedication to building an unbeatable global military and steadfast support for allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific region.
In the face of the US’s strategic deployment, Shen Mingshi, a researcher at the Taiwan Institute of National Defense and Security, conducted an in-depth analysis.
He pointed out that most ASEAN countries, including Vietnam and the Philippines, face direct challenges, while Brunei, Malaysia, and Indonesia are involved in sovereignty disputes. In the backdrop of China’s military expansion, relying solely on the Philippines or the US’s strength is insufficient, necessitating the establishment of a joint mechanism.
Shen believes that the functions of this monitoring network go beyond traditional defense realms and can effectively counter grey zone actions and illegal fishing activities. The operational mode includes deploying fixed or mobile monitoring tools in territorial waters or exclusive economic zones, utilizing remote ground radars to track South China Sea dynamics; data gathered is then sent to US agencies for integrated analysis and early insight into Chinese naval movements, enhancing counter-warning time.
Crucially, this monitoring network can exert significant deterrence. Shen stated: “When China’s actions are effectively monitored, they will naturally be more cautious in executing various grey zone actions or expulsion operations, thus generating deterrence benefits.”
Regarding Hegseth’s meeting with China’s Minister of National Defense, Shen emphasized that it serves as both a warning to China and a strategic assurance to ASEAN, reaffirming that the US will stand with ASEAN countries and not remain passive if China adopts aggressive coercion.
From a broader strategic perspective, these measures are reshaping the power balance in the Indo-Pacific region.
Su Ziyun, the Director of the Strategy and Resources Department at the Taiwan Institute of National Defense and Security, assessed from a strategic standpoint that the monitoring mechanism proposed by the US Secretary of Defense has a dual function: monitoring dark ships (including commercial vessels and “three-no” fishing vessels) and establishing surveillance of Chinese military or government vessels, “helping to deter China’s agitation in the South China Sea, Taiwan Strait, and East China Sea.”
Su’s analysis suggests that this mechanism offers a “calm pill” for ASEAN countries. He explained to the media that traditionally ASEAN has relied on China economically while depending on the US for security, but now recognizing the need to rely on the US economically as well, especially as ASEAN serves as a hub for transshipment trade. Against the backdrop of the US promoting projects like rare earth supply cooperation, countries including Cambodia and Myanmar have agreed to participate, marking a significant strategic shift.
Regarding the pressure faced by China from multiple angles, Su assessed that it has yielded short-term effects. He noted, “China may temporarily retreat tactically, but will continue to develop strategically. The US restructuring security cooperation mechanisms can at least play a balancing and containment role; by further seeking ASEAN’s involvement, strategic effectiveness can be achieved.”
Su summarized three key highlights:
Firstly, there is a shift in the struggle of strategic balances. The pro-China trend in the past has been corrected under US trade policies and the firm stance of the Secretary of Defense.
Secondly, this reflects a significant adjustment in US strategy, moving from balancing China against the Soviet Union in the Cold War era to rallying Southeast and Northeast Asian countries to counterbalance China.
Thirdly, Taiwan’s security line has been drawn. The US government states “respect for Taiwan,” with the Secretary of Defense and the Japanese Defense Minister reaffirming the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. Su emphasized: “This trend bodes well for Taiwan, but Taiwan must seize the opportunity to rapidly strengthen its own defense capabilities to consolidate this situation.”
On the practical implementation level of strategic deployment, there have been significant advancements in US-Philippine bilateral cooperation.
During the same ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting-Plus conference, the US Department of Defense announced on October 31 that the US and the Philippines have established a new joint force called “Task Force-Philippines.” A Pentagon spokesperson stated that this force “will enhance operational cooperation, improve joint planning, and increase interoperability, particularly in the South China Sea region.”
Hegseth and Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro, in their fourth meeting, “expressed their shared determination to rebuild deterrence in the region.” The two defense ministers announced the completion of a modernization plan for defense partnership aiming to accelerate progress in major priority areas in the coming two years to address China’s increasingly deteriorating threatening behavior in the South China Sea.
This new force is an expansion and upgrade of the existing “Balikatan Task Force.” The task force, composed of a few US military personnel, focuses on providing intelligence and maritime situational awareness to support Philippine operations at the Ren’ai Reef. The “Task Force-Philippines” elevates bilateral cooperation from tactical support to strategic enhancement of regional readiness and deterrence capabilities.
In his first face-to-face meeting with Minister of National Defense Dung, Hegseth clearly expressed US concerns. He noted that China is undertaking unprecedented military construction in the Indo-Pacific region and taking aggressive actions that pose a grave and imminent threat to regional security. He particularly emphasized serious concerns about China’s activities in disputed areas and around Taiwan, stating to the Chinese side: Although the US does not seek conflict, it will firmly defend its interests and maintain necessary capabilities in the region.