US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on June 3 pushed a vision for a “more flexible and resilient” joint defense strategy with Southeast Asian partners, in a key region that has seen a struggle for influence between Washington and Beijing.
China protests US Defense Secretary's remarks at Shangri-La Dialogue. (Source: AP) |
Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Mr. Austin said that the “historic step” demonstrated by the agreement with the Philippines to grant the US access to additional military bases showed Washington’s commitment to the region.
Analysts say the Pentagon chief's diplomatic outreach to Southeast Asian leaders is aimed at conveying the message that the US is a sincere partner willing to help countries deal with China's "coercive behavior".
Mr. Austin also held informal meetings with his counterparts from Southeast Asian countries on the sidelines of the forum, reaffirming the Biden administration's strong support and commitment to the region.
* On the same day, a senior official of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) announced that the country strongly opposed the US Secretary of Defense's statement at the Shangri-La Dialogue.
Mr. Austin said that Beijing is not ready to participate in military crisis management.
The US Defense Secretary expressed deep concern about China's unwillingness to engage and affirmed that dialogue was necessary to avoid a crisis.
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