U.S. pressures Asian allies to boost defense spending

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore over the weekend, called on Asian nations to sharply increase their defense spending in response to what he described as a “real and imminent threat” from China. He noted that NATO member states have committed to raising their defense budgets to 5 percent of gross domestic product, arguing that “it makes no sense for Asian allies and partners to spend less than Europe, given the dual threats of North Korea and a far more powerful China.”

Mr. Hegseth’s message was blunt. “We request—no, we strongly insist—that our allies and partners fulfill their roles,” he said, adding, “That sometimes means uncomfortable and rough conversations.” The remarks signaled his intent to press Asian countries directly on defense spending. He also issued a pointed warning against what he called the “balancing act” between the United States and China, saying, “We are aware that many countries are tempted to pursue economic cooperation with China while simultaneously seeking security cooperation with the United States.”

While NATO allies have pledged to raise defense spending to 5 percent of gross domestic product, Secretary Hegseth did not specify targets for Asian countries. However, former President Trump and other U.S. officials have publicly urged Taiwan to spend 10 percent of its GDP on defense and Japan 3 percent. Taiwan and Japan have each set their own goals, 3 percent and 2 percent, respectively, and are working toward increases, but those levels remain well below Washington’s expectations. South Korea currently spends 2.6 percent of its GDP on defense and has not received specific demands from the United States, but it is unlikely to be excluded from future pressure.

In fact, South Korea is facing pressure to increase its share of the cost of stationing U.S. troops, along with growing calls to expand the “strategic flexibility” of those forces, from focusing solely on North Korea to playing a role in containing China. If the role of U.S. forces in South Korea is redefined, the South Korean military will be forced to take on greater responsibility for defending against the North. This would effectively require a significant increase in South Korea’s defense budget, even without explicit demands from Washington. For the new government, alliance negotiations with the United States may prove just as tricky as the ongoing tariff talks.