On Tuesday, June 10th, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth testified before a congressional subcommittee, stating that Communist China poses a “pace threat” to the United States. The Department of Defense is “closely collaborating” with allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific region to increase deterrence in the region as a top priority, in order to realize President Trump’s vision of “peace through strength”.
Hegseth made these remarks during the 2026 Defense Budget hearing held by the House Appropriations Committee’s Defense Subcommittee on Tuesday. He emphasized, “We have always said that the Indo-Pacific region is our priority theater, and China is our pace threat. That’s why I have visited the Indo-Pacific region twice to meet with our allies and partners, who have also responded.”
The term “pace threat” was coined by former Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks, referring to the need for the development of US military capabilities to constantly monitor and surpass the pace of military development in Communist China.
Hegseth’s most recent visit to the Indo-Pacific region was to attend the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore at the end of May and beginning of June. At this high-level security dialogue in the Indo-Pacific region, Hegseth reiterated that Beijing poses a threat and pledged to deepen cooperation with allies in the Indo-Pacific.
During the hearing, Hegseth explained President Trump’s proposed $961.6 billion budget for the 2026 fiscal year and outlined three priorities set by the Department of Defense: restoring warrior ethos, rebuilding the military, and strengthening deterrence.
In a written statement to the House Appropriations Committee’s Defense Subcommittee beforehand, Hegseth specifically mentioned the threat posed by Communist China in revitalizing deterrence and provided a detailed explanation of how the US is building deterrence against China.
Speaking about China as the pacing threat faced by the US Department of Defense, Hegseth stated, “Beijing has made clear its desire to achieve hegemony in the Indo-Pacific region and even globally, potentially strangling the US economy in the process and projecting military power to the Western Hemisphere on a larger and more sustained scale.”
He noted that this desire is evident not only in Beijing’s aggressive actions in the region but also in its “large-scale, historic military build-up,” which includes increasing advanced submarines, ships, aircraft, satellites, and a growing missile threat and cyber capabilities. He also mentioned China’s ongoing rapid expansion of its nuclear capabilities.
Hegseth emphasized that the Department of Defense’s goal in response to China’s military expansion is to achieve the vision of “peace through strength” proposed and actively pursued by President Trump. Apart from homeland defense, the Department of Defense prioritizes deterring Communist China in the Indo-Pacific region, focusing on capabilities necessary to prevent Chinese aggression along the First Island Chain, enhancing US posture in the Western Pacific, and closely cooperating with allies and partners to strengthen collective deterrence or effectively respond to aggression.
Hegseth then listed the collaborative efforts between the US and allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific region: in Australia, the US has increased rotations of air power, visits of expeditionary submarines, and army ships. Through major defense partnerships with India, the two countries are committed to enhancing operational coordination, information sharing, expanding regional and global cooperation, and fostering close industrial collaboration. In Japan, the US has upgraded its forces to a joint headquarters and deployed B-1 bombers at Misawa Air Base, marking the first-ever bomber task force from Japan. In the Philippines, the US maintains a strong rotational presence and extended exercise times with the Philippines. Additionally, the US, along with these partner countries, jointly invest in multilateral maritime cooperation activities in the South China Sea.
Hegseth stated that all these investments prioritize combat-capable military forces and rebuilding deterrence. Meanwhile, the US also urges allies and partners to increase investment in their own defense.
He mentioned that besides the Indo-Pacific region, the US also defends its interests in the Western Hemisphere. He specifically referred to the Panama Canal, saying, “In Panama, as promised by the President, we are reclaiming the Panama Canal from Chinese influence. We ensure that our warships and auxiliary vessels can ‘prioritize freedom’ to pass through the canal.”
During the hearing, Chairman Ken Calvert of the House Appropriations Committee’s Defense Subcommittee also highlighted the threats from China in his opening remarks. He mentioned, “We are addressing an increasingly complex and uncertain global environment, with adversaries such as China and Russia taking aggressive actions and posing challenges in the Indo-Pacific, the Middle East, and other regions.”
This article is adapted from Voice of America.