U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth spoke on Friday with counterparts from China and India, beginning a series of face-to-face meetings at an ASEAN defence summit in Malaysia, as Washington seeks to boost regional security ties.

Malaysia called Friday for fellow members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to extend their security partnerships from the high seas to cyberspace at an annual meeting of the bloc's defense ministers.

The defence pact comes amid simmering tensions in the South China Sea. Read more at straitstimes.com. Read more at straitstimes.com.

US and Chinese officials kicked off a new round of talks aimed at defusing a standoff between the world’s two largest economies before an upcoming leaders’ summit.

Economic officials from both countries are working to ensure a meeting between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping after the U.S. threatened new tariffs on Chinese goods in retaliation for China's expanded rare-earth export restrictions.

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct. 28 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Qiang said Tuesday that China is ready to strengthen multilateral coordination and cooperation with Malaysia to implement the four major global initiatives put forth by China, practice true multilateralism, and safeguard international fairness and justice.

President Trump told reporters as he flew into Japan that he expects to have a trade agreement with China finalized by the end of his tour of Asia.

The US position has been ‘tough’, whereas China has been ‘firm’ in defending its own interests and rights, says Chinese negotiator Li Chenggang.

The defence pact comes amid simmering tensions in the South China Sea, where China claims nearly all of the disputed waters vital to international trade.

On FOX News 'Special Report' FOX Business host, Larry Kudlow, discussed the lead up to President Trump meeting with China's Xi Jinping. Kudlow highlighted the trade deals from other Asian nations and the disappointment over China's fentanyl exports and them not halting the trade: LARRY KUDLOW: It's a very important meeting.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China have signed an upgraded free trade deal at the ASEAN summit in Malaysia. The pact is expected to focus on the digital, green economy and other new sectors.