Hegseth, in talks with Chinese counterpart, says US will 'stoutly defend' interests in Indo-Pacific

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Friday met with his Chinese counterpart in Kuala Lumpur, using the high-profile encounter to reaffirm that the United States will "stoutly defend" its interests in the Indo-Pacific region.Hegseth characterized the session with Chinese Admiral Dong Jun as "good and constructive." The pair met on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) defense summit, which convened top military officials from across the region. The Pentagon chief said he raised concerns about China’s growing aggression in the South China Sea and around Taiwan –