U.S. Secretary of Defense: "We will prioritize deterring China and increasing the burden on allies."

 Recently NHK News on-line reported the following:

米国防長官 “中国の抑止や同盟国の負担増 優先的に取り組む”

2025年12月7日午後1時53分

アメリカ

アメリカのヘグセス国防長官は6日の演説で、中国の抑止や同盟国の負担増に優先的に取り組む方針を示し、NATO＝北大西洋条約機構と同じように国防費などの割合をGDP＝国内総生産の5％に引き上げるよう、インド太平洋地域の同盟国にも求めていく考えを強調しました。

アメリカのヘグセス国防長官は6日、西部カリフォルニア州で開かれた会合で演説し、国防総省として、アメリカの国土と西半球の防衛、中国の抑止、同盟国などの負担増加、それに防衛産業基盤の強化の4つの分野について、優先的に取り組む方針を示しました。

このうち中国の抑止については、「力の均衡」を通じてインド太平洋地域での平和を築くとしています。

中国の成長を妨げる意図は無いとしつつも、それに対応できるだけの能力を同盟国とともに築き、必要に応じてこの地域に軍事力を展開できる能力を維持するとしていて、「侵略の考えさえも持たせないようにする」と述べました。

さらに、同盟国などの役割について「もはやただ乗りは許さない」と述べ、重ねて負担増を求めた上で、NATOの加盟国が国防費と関連費用の割合をあわせてGDPの5％に引き上げることを評価しました。

その上で、日本などを念頭に「インド太平洋地域の同盟国が、同様の対応を取ると楽観している」と述べ、NATOの対応をモデルとして同盟国に働きかけていく考えを強調しました。

Translation

U.S. Secretary of Defense: "We will prioritize deterring China and increasing the burden on allies."

December 7, 2025, 1:53 PM

USA

In a speech on the 6th, U.S. Secretary of Defense Hegseth outlined his intention to prioritize deterring China and increasing the burden on allies, emphasizing his intention to urge allies in the Indo-Pacific region to increase their defense spending to 5% of GDP, similar to NATO.

In a speech at a meeting held in California on the 6th, U.S. Secretary of Defense Hegseth outlined the Department of Defense's prioritization of four areas: defending the U.S. homeland and the Western Hemisphere, deterring China, increasing the burden on allies, and strengthening the defense industrial base.

Regarding deterring China, he stated that the goal would be to build peace in the Indo-Pacific region through a "balance of power."

He said that while not intending to impede China's growth, the U.S. would build sufficient capabilities with its allies to respond and maintain the ability to deploy military force in the region, when necessary, in order to "deter even the idea of invasion."

Furthermore, regarding the role of allies and others, he stated, "We will no longer tolerate free riding," and praised NATO member states for raising their combined defense and related expenditures to 5% of GDP, after repeatedly requesting them to increase their burden.

He then stated, with Japan and other countries in mind, "I am optimistic that our allies in the Indo-Pacific region will take a similar approach," and emphasized his intention to urge allies to use NATO's response as a model.

So, the U.S. has outlined its intention to prioritize deterring China. Apparently, militarily, this is going to be achieved by increasing the burden on its Asian allies and strengthening the US defense industrial base. Economically, the Trump administration is using a tariff war to check China’s trade balance with the US.