The Pentagon said in a statement that Hegseth would make stops in Japan, Malaysia, Vietnam, and South Korea, without specifying exact dates or how long each visit would be.

President Donald Trump and other top US officials are currently in the region attending summits and bilateral talks, with the marquee event being a face-to-face meeting in South Korea between Trump and Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on Thursday.

A key theme of Hegseth's trip will be "America's focus on the Indo-Pacific, the Department's priority theater," the Pentagon said.

The United States has for years been focused on countering threats from a rising China, particularly by deepening military ties with regional allies, but crises in the Middle East and Europe have repeatedly drawn attention elsewhere.

At the same time Trump and Hegseth are visiting Asia, the US military is also increasing its presence in Latin America as part of a campaign against drug trafficking.

Hegseth, speaking in May at the Shangri-La defense conference in Singapore, warned that China was "credibly preparing to potentially use military force to alter the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific."

He urged allies in the region, such as Japan and the Philippines who have territorial disputes with China, to ramp up defense spending.

As part of the Asia tour, Hegseth will stop in Hawaii to meet with leaders of US Indo-Pacific Command.

He will also visit Japan, participate in the ASEAN Defense Ministers' meeting in Malaysia, holds talks in Vietnam, and co-chair a bilateral security meeting in South Korea.

"Under Secretary Hegseth's clear and strong leadership, the Department recognizes the importance of the focus on the Indo-Pacific and the need to ensure peace through strength together with our allies and partners," the statement said.