Pete Hegseth spoke at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on May 30, 2026, marking his second address to the forum hosted by the International Institute for Strategic Studies. The remarks followed a visit by Donald Trump to Xi Jinping in Beijing approximately two weeks earlier, during which Trump described Xi as a great leader and stated the two would have a fantastic future together. Hegseth, who accompanied Trump on the trip, emphasized the region's implications for U.S. security and the priority of achieving a lasting and favorable balance of power in the Pacific.