TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth held security discussions with his Chinese counterpart, Dong Jun (董軍), on Tuesday.

Hegseth said the US “does not seek conflict with China nor is it pursuing regime change or strangulation,” according to the Department of Defense, while stressing that the US has “vital interests” in the Indo-Pacific that it will protect.

The two sides exchanged views and agreed to further talks. The last round of discussions was held in April 2024.

The call comes as the US deepens defense cooperation with Taiwan to counter Chinese aggression in the region. The US Defense Innovation Unit announced last month it would send a representative to Taiwan this year to collaborate on drones and technology, with the liaison to be dispatched to the American Institute in Taiwan.

Additionally, Taiwanese soldiers participated in this year’s Northern Strike military exercise in Michigan. A top Michigan National Guard official confirmed that more than 500 Taiwanese troops joined the annual exercise in August.

The exercise simulated a contingency in the Indo-Pacific for the first time since its inception.