US Pentagon chief Hegseth meets with New Zealand counterpart

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  • US Pentagon chief Hegseth meets with New Zealand counterpart

US Pentagon chief Hegsethmet with New Zealand's Defense Minister Chris Penk on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia's top defense summit, in Singapore on Saturday. For New Zealand, the talks are part of a broader effort to strengthen security ties with key partners while balancing its relationship with China, its largest trading partner.

For the United States, the meeting fits into a wider Indo-Pacific strategy focused on burden-sharing among allies and maintaining a favorable balance of power in the region. Both sides reaffirmed their intention to maintain close military cooperation in the Indo-Pacific. The meeting reinforced New Zealand's role as a regional security partner alongside Australia, Japan, and other U.S. allies.

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