MANILA, Philippines – U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is set to meet with military officials and civilian leadership, and to participate in a series of bilateral meetings this week, a statement from the Pentagon said.
According to Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell, Hegseth will depart for a trip to Hawaii, Guam, Japan and the Philippines, to undergo “engagements aimed at driving ongoing efforts to strengthen our alliances and partnerships toward our shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific.”
Hegseth will first travel to Hawaii to meet with civilian and military leaders from the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command; followed by his trip to Guam, where he is expected to tour the military facilities and receive capabilities briefs, the Pentagon confirmed.
Meanwhile, the Pentagon mentioned that Hegseth will be in Manila on March 28-29 to meet his Philippine counterpart, Department of National Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro, as well as a meeting with President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., according to reports.
Hegseth and Teodoro are expected to discuss China’s increasingly “aggressive” and “dangerous actions” in the South China Sea, reports stated.
After Manila, Hegseth will proceed to Japan, the last leg of the visit, to participate in a ceremony commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Iwo Jima.
The Pentagon also confirmed that he is set to meet Japanese leaders and U.S. military forces.
“Secretary Hegseth's trip comes as the United States builds on unprecedented cooperation with like-minded countries to strengthen regional security,” Parnell said.
