Trump’s war secretary Hegseth and Pacific Command chief Paparo may ‘soon visit China’

Trump’s war secretary Hegseth and Pacific Command chief Paparo may ‘soon visit China’South China Sea is now a bigger flashpoint than Taiwan, former US diplomat says while disclosing potential visitPublished: 7:06pm, 7 Nov 2026Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth and US Pacific Command head Admiral Samuel Paparo may visit China “soon”, according to a veteran China hand.Stephen Orlins, president of the non-profit organisation National Committee on United States-China Relations (NCUSCR), disclosed the potential visit during a video address at a conference on Friday in Sanya, in southern China’s Hainan province. More than 400 Chinese officials, foreign diplomats and legal experts have gathered in the South China Sea resort city for the Global Maritime Cooperation and Ocean Governance event closing on Sunday.Orlins said the prospective visit by Hegseth and Paparo would be critical to regularising military-to-military communication between Beijing and Washington.