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Secretary Austin participated in the events with the Japan state visit yesterday and returned to the White House today to participate in the U.S.-Japan-Philippines trilateral leaders summit. The United States, Japan, and the Philippines are three closely-aligned maritime democracies with increasingly convergent strategic objectives and interests. Just this past week, in fact, our three countries and Australia held joint naval drills in the South China Sea.
Separately, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs Dr. Ely Ratner and his team are hosting our Korean allies today here at the Pentagon for the 24th U.S.-Korea Integrated Defense Dialogue. The dialogue involves a wide range of comprehensive discussions about how the United States and the Republic of Korea are modernizing and strengthening our alliance. We’ll have much more information to provide this evening when the meeting concludes.
And staying with the Philippines, tomorrow, we look forward to welcoming His Excellency Ferdinand Marcos Jr., President of the Philippines, and Secretary of National Defense Gilbert Teodoro here at the Pentagon. Secretary Austin will host President Marcos and his delegation to discuss regional security issues, to include our shared concerns on PRC coercive actions in the South China Sea.
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Q: Thank you sir. My question is that how important is these two big visits to Washington? Japanese Prime Minister and Philippines President, as far as China’s threat is growing in the region, including Chinese president said that his goal is to take over Taiwan. Or one day someday he will — they will attack Taiwan. My question is that as far as U.S. National Security concern, so where do we stand, how U.S. will act or react as far as these activities in the region by Chinese threats?
GEN. RYDER: Yes, sure. Well, you know, thank you. As I highlighted at the top, these visits this week are very important, because again, they demonstrate the strengthening of our alliances with two very important allies, Japan and the Philippines. And when it comes to the situation in the Indo-Pacific, it’s important again to underscore that our focus is on a free and open, secure and stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific and working with like-minded partners to ensure that it stays that way and that the sovereignty of countries is respected, and that the international rules based order is taken into account. And so, that’s really our focus is on — on working together to ensure regional security and stability. And if there are countries out there that have a different view, that use coercion and aggression, we certainly want to work together to deter and prevent those kinds of activities from impeding or in — on individual nations’ sovereignty.
Q: Sorry, just to — to include, where would you put India in these situations in the region, because India is also concerned as far as Chinese activity in the Indian Ocean a concern?
GEN. RYDER: Of course. I mean as we’ve talked about before, India is a very important partner of the United States and the relationship between the US and India continues to grow. And we look very forward to continuing to work with India towards our shared values in the region of a free and open Indo-Pacific.
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Source: U.S. Department of Defense
Speaker: Major General Pat Ryder, Pentagon Press Secretary
Format: Press Briefing
China Policy Research 