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She questioned whether he had the necessary knowledge to lead international negotiations.
Senator Tammy Duckworth has criticized President-elect Donald Trump's choice for Secretary of Defense, questioning whether he has the necessary knowledge to lead international negotiations.
During the test session, Senator Duckworth asked Pete Hegseth if he could name a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or describe what kind of agreements the US had with the countries and how many nations were in the bloc.
Hegseth responded in the heated Senate confirmation hearing that he could not tell Duckworth the exact number of ASEAN countries, but named several states that he thought were part.
" I know we have allies in South Korea and Japan, and in AUKUS with Australia ," referring to a pact between the US, Australia and Britain.
" None of these three countries are in ASEAN ," Duckworth replied, adding: "I suggest you do some homework."
What is ASEAN and why is it important to the US?
ASEAN consists of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. An 11th country, East Timor, will join soon.
Founded in 1967, its goal is to promote regional economic and security cooperation, leveraging a combined population of more than 650 million people with a GDP of more than $3 trillion.
Duckworth's question came after Hegseth had noted the strategic importance of the Indo-Pacific, a region where China's influence has grown rapidly and Beijing has become increasingly confident in pressing territorial claims.
ASEAN members Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei are locked in a maritime dispute with China over its claims to sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, one of the world's most important shipping lanes. Indonesia has also expressed concern about what it sees as Beijing's encroachment on its exclusive economic zone.
What does ASEAN have to do with the US Secretary of Defense?
The United States is a treaty partner with ASEAN members Thailand and the Philippines, and Washington has sought to leverage ASEAN's regional influence while seeking to counter Chinese influence and promote what the White House has called "a free and open region that is connected, prosperous, secure and resilient."
ASEAN also holds high-level meetings every year, this year in Malaysia, which holds the group's rotating chairmanship.
Its defense meetings are usually attended by the US secretary of defense and foreign ministers' meetings by the US secretary of state. The meetings culminate in an annual summit, which is regularly attended by the sitting US president. Both Biden and Donald Trump have attended.
Why else is ASEAN important?
Despite some members' territorial disputes with China, many in the bloc also have close relations with Beijing, and high-level Chinese officials also attend ASEAN meetings.
The US in 2022 was elevated to the top-level "comprehensive strategic partnership" with ASEAN - a largely symbolic status that put Washington on par with China, which was granted the distinction a year earlier.
ASEAN emphasizes non-intervention and personal diplomacy, and the breadth of its membership and partnerships makes it uniquely positioned as a forum to address key geopolitical issues.
Beyond China and the US, ASEAN has official relations with Russia, India, Australia, the European Union, Britain, Japan, South Korea and many others.
ASEAN nations are also central to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, or RCEP, a free trade agreement that was signed in 2020, creating the largest trading bloc in history.
The 10 nations plus China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand account for more than 30% of the world's population and about 30% of global GDP. Conceived at the 2011 ASEAN summit, the agreement includes commitments on trade in goods and services, investment and other areas.
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