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

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says Washington remains committed to the Indo-Pacific region while softening past comments that described China as an imminent threat. Speaking at the Shangri-La defense conference in Singapore, Hegseth said U.S. policy aims to preserve a favorable balance of power and prevent any country from dominating the Indo-Pacific. His remarks came after President Donald Trump met Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing and praised prospects for U.S.-China ties. Hegseth sa...