U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth will travel to Manila this week to attend the Southeast Asian Defense Ministers' Meeting (ADMM-Plus) in the Philippines from Wednesday to Thursday, aiming to solidify U.S. relations with Indo-Pacific partners. This visit comes amidst the aftermath of the U.S.-Israel war with Iran and Donald Trump's criticism of allies, leading Indo-Pacific nations to re-evaluate their positions. The meeting will gather defense officials from the 11 ASEAN member states and 8 dialogue partners, with a focus on Myanmar's civil war and the South China Sea disputes. A potential meeting between Hegseth and Chinese Minister of National Defense Dong Jun could lay the groundwork for a subsequent meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Analysts note that Hegseth's trip will also aim to dispel regional doubts about U.S. commitments in the region, against the backdrop of the Middle East conflict and Donald Trump's unclear signals on Taiwan.