The itinerary includes strategic stops in Hawaii, Guam, the Philippines, and Japan, where he will engage in high-level discussions with allied leaders and interact with American troops stationed in these locations.
According to The Washington Times, the first leg of Hegseth's six-day tour will commence in Hawaii, where he is scheduled to attend briefings at the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell stated, "These engagements will drive ongoing efforts to strengthen our alliances and partnerships toward our shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific." This visit comes at a time when the United States is fostering unprecedented cooperation with like-minded nations to bolster regional security.
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In Hawaii, Hegseth will hold meetings with military and civilian leaders, including Adm. Sam Paparo, commander of the Indo-Pacific Command. He will also interact with U.S. troops stationed there. The Defense Secretary's itinerary includes a visit to Anderson Air Force Base in Guam, a significant military hub in the Pacific, housing both Navy warships and submarines, and Air Force jets and B-52 bombers.
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The tour will also take Hegseth to the Philippines, a key U.S. ally currently embroiled in a tense military standoff with China over disputed reefs in the South China Sea. China's navy and maritime militia have been obstructing the Philippines' government efforts to resupply a grounded navy vessel on Second Thomas Shoal in the Spratly Islands. The vessel serves as a military base for the Philippines, and China has been pressuring Manila to remove it. Despite an international court ruling that rejected China's claim over most of the South China Sea as illegal, Beijing continues to assert its territorial rights over this major international shipping route.
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In the Philippines, Hegseth is expected to advance security objectives through high-level meetings. He is also scheduled to meet with Philippines Secretary of National Defense Gilberto Teodoro and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in Manila. The discussions will focus on "more significant support" for Philippine security forces, as stated by Jose Manuel Romualdez, the Asian country’s ambassador to the U.S.
The visit to the Philippines precedes the large-scale Balikatan — Tagalog for shoulder to shoulder — annual combat exercises involving U.S. and Philippines military forces. These exercises, which include live-fire drills, have recently been conducted near the South China Sea and the sea border between the Philippines and Taiwan.
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Following his visit to the Philippines, Hegseth will proceed to Japan for discussions with Japanese and U.S. civilian and military leaders. His travel plans also include a stop at the small Japanese island of Iwo Jima to mark the 80th anniversary of the World War II battle that claimed the lives of 6,821 U.S. Marines and more than 17,800 Japanese troops.
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Interestingly, South Korea, home to 24,000 American troops, is not on Hegseth's itinerary. The country is currently grappling with political uncertainty following President Yoon Suk Yeol’s temporary declaration of martial law and subsequent prosecution. Despite this omission, a Pentagon spokesman reaffirmed that South Korea remains a major strategic ally in Asia.
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Hegseth, in a message to all U.S. forces in January, stated his commitment to President Trump’s call to “put America first.” He said, “The president gave us a clear mission: achieve peace through strength. We will do this in three ways — by restoring the warrior ethos, rebuilding our military, and reestablishing deterrence.”
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The Defense Secretary's visit to the Philippines and the absence of a South Korean stop on his itinerary have not gone unnoticed by Chinese state media. The Global Times, affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party, interpreted this as a sign of America’s intentions toward Beijing. It suggested that the U.S. is likely to encourage the Philippines to take further provocative actions against China.
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As Hegseth embarks on this crucial tour, his engagements will undoubtedly shape the future of U.S. relations in the Indo-Pacific region. His interactions with allied leaders and American troops will serve to reinforce the United States' commitment to regional security, even as it navigates the complex geopolitical landscape marked by China's assertive territorial claims.
