Hegseth tones down warnings about China but says US remains committed to Pacific security

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth addressed the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, stating the U.S. remains committed to Pacific security while downplaying previous warnings about China. He emphasized building a strategic relationship with China based on fairness but stressed the need to prevent Chinese dominance in the Indo-Pacific. U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth criticized the Trump administration for being too accommodating to China.