US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has said the Indo-Pacific region remains a "priority" for Washington, saying the US is secure "only if Asia is."
Lloyd Austin made the remarks at a major security forum in Singapore, a day after he met his Chinese counterpart Dong Jun.
"The United States can only be secure if Asia is, and that's why the United States has long maintained a presence in this region," Austin said at the Shangri-La Dialogue, which has become a barometer of U.S.-China relations in recent years.
Despite conflicts in Europe and the Middle East, the Indo-Pacific "remains a priority theater of operations" for the United States, Austin said.
The United States is seeking to strengthen its alliances and partnerships in the Asia-Pacific, particularly with the Philippines, as it tries to counter China's growing military power and influence.
As defence ties have deepened, the US has also increased joint military exercises and regularly deploys warships and fighter jets in the Taiwan Strait and South China Sea - which has angered Chinese leaders.
This year's Shangri-La dialogue comes a week after China conducted military exercises around self-ruled Taiwan and warned of war for the US-backed island following the inauguration of President Lai Ching-te, whom Beijing has described as a "dangerous separatist".
China is also angered by the United States' strengthening defense ties in the region. | BGNES
