Mr Hegseth had on Saturday repeated a pledge made by previous administrations to strengthen US capabilities in the Indo-Pacific region for more robust deterrence.
But US military resources from the region have been diverted to other conflicts around the world instead such as in Ukraine and Gaza.
Asked why this was the case, Mr Hegseth said a shift of resources was necessary to defend against attacks such as those by the Houthi militants from Yemen.
During Mr Chan’s interview with the media, he was also asked for his impression of his US counterpart.
“I think people were appreciative of the US secretary of defence, his candour, and I think that’s the spirit of the ministerial roundtable; that people are able to speak frankly and share their perspective, and nobody is trying to judge anybody else,” he said.
