Saturday, 31 May, 2008Washington would remain committed to Asia no matter who wins this year's US presidential election, US Defence Secretary Robert Gates told the region's decision makers on Saturday.
His message at a conference of Asian security and defence officials appeared intended both to reassure allies and serve as a statement of intent to China, following Beijing's rise in economic and military power in recent years.
"As someone who has served seven United States presidents, I want to convey to you with confidence that any future US administration's Asia security policy is going to be grounded in the fact that the United States remains a nation with strong and enduring interests in this region," Gates said.
"I can assure you that the United States - because of our interests and because of our values - will not only remain engaged, but will become even more so in the decades ahead," the former Central Intelligence Agency chief said.
Gates tried to strike a fine balance in his comments on China.
He offered praise, citing Beijing's "valued cooperation" in North Korean nuclear talks and avoided direct criticism.
But he also alluded to subjects which have been contentious, such as repeated US calls for greater transparency in Chinese military budgets.
"We desire to work with every country in Asia to deepen our understanding of their military and defence finances, and larger national-security decisions," Gates told the annual Shangri-La Dialogue forum in Singapore.
"We do so in a sincere and open effort to avoid misreading intentions and so that we can continue our work as strategic partners," he said.
China's growing prosperity has been accompanied by double-digit rises in military spending and a drive to modernise its armed forces and their equipment.
Beijing has said it is committed to a "peaceful rise" but Washington has called on China to clarify why it feels the need to build up its military to such an extent.
By describing US efforts to reassure the world ahead of its shootdown of a defunct satellite in February, Gates drew an implicit contrast with China's own satellite shootdown a year earlier which was not announced in advance.
"Transparency enhances confidence and reduces competitive arms spending," he said. "The same applies to the way in which sovereign governments make their national security decisions."
Source: AAP
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