The United States' offer of cooperation to Asean must be based on the Asean Defence Ministers Meeting (ADMM) framework and the regional bloc centrality, says Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin.br br Speaking after the ADMM-Plus and Asean-US Defence Ministers’ High-Tea, Khaled said US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth had expressed readiness to assist Asean in tackling regional challenges, including issues in the South China Sea.