# Hegseth heads to Manila to shore up US ties with Asia-Pacific partners

https://mins.news/en/item/117645

- Al Jazeera, 2026-10-27 15:08 UTC
- World
- Original: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/10/27/hegseth-heads-to-manila-to-shore-up-us-ties-with-asia-pacific-partners?traffic_source=rss

> US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will join defence officials from India, South Korea and Japan at an expanded ASEAN defence meeting in the Philippines. The talks come as Asia-Pacific countries reassess their positions amid the Iran war and Trump’s criticism of allies, with regional security and US commitment to the region among the concerns.

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- [Hegseth likely to face questions on US role in Indo-Pacific at ASEAN summit](https://mins.news/en/item/118230) — Reuters, 2026-10-27