מזכיר ההגנה האמריקני: סין היא האיום המרכזי – איזור האינדו-פסיפי בעדיפות עליונה

The Pentagon chief once again reiterated the Indo-Pacific as a top priority for U.S. forces in the face of threats posed by China. That was the message from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth when he testified in front of a House panel Tuesday. You know, as we've said, the Indo-Pacific is our priority theater and China our pacing threat. As we shift in that direction, President Trump looks to those allies and partners to step up, to share in the burden of their own defense. He also sees them, as I do, as force multipliers alongside the United States, and we are making progress. This marks Hegseth's first testimony since his Senate confirmation. To counter what he called China's unprecedented military buildup, Secretary Hegseth also discussed the defense budget for fiscal year 2026, and it roughly $1 trillion proposed by President Trump. Those include $25 billion for the Golden Doe missile defense shield, $62 billion to modernize U.S. nuclear forces, and $47 billion for shipbuilding. The Pentagon has also been reviving defense industrial bases. That's to protect the security of critical supply chains. Zooming out, Hegseth has already visited the Indo-Pacific region twice since becoming the Pentagon chief. When he was in Singapore last month, he warned U.S. allies and strategic partners to not overlook the threats posed by China. He also encouraged them to boost their defense spending. The threat China poses is real, and it could be imminent. We hope not, but it certainly could be. More Chinese military activities are happening in the Indo-Pacific. Japan reported two Chinese aircraft carriers operating together near its southern islands Monday. The incident was a first of its kind and sparked concerns across Tokyo. What's more, Taiwan also reported that China has sent dozens of warships and government vessels near the island daily last month.