Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Thailand's deputy defense minister, Gen. Udomdej Sitabutr, today reaffirmed their commitment to strengthen the 184-year-old U.S.-Thai alliance and exchanged views on regional and bilateral security issues during a bilateral meeting in Singapore, Navy Cmdr. Gary Ross, a spokesman for Mattis, said.
The two defense leaders met on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue, a major annual forum for key leaders in the Asia-Pacific region.
Continuing Contributions to Security
"They reviewed the broad range of U.S.-Thai defense cooperation and Thailand's continuing contributions to regional security," Ross said in a statement summarizing the meeting.
Mattis and Udomdej also discussed ways to continue strengthening the defense trade relationship, he added.
The secretary invited Udomdej to visit Washington, and extended an invitation to Defense Minister Prawit Wongsuwan to visit as well, Ross said.