WEBVTT

00:01.240 --> 00:04.380
well , good morning everybody . It's

00:04.380 --> 00:07.920
great to be back in Singapore . I was

00:07.920 --> 00:11.640
here In July of 2021 to give

00:11.640 --> 00:15.350
the double eye Fullerton lecture .

00:16.440 --> 00:18.500
So john I'm starting to feel like a

00:18.500 --> 00:22.400
regular but in all seriousness .

00:22.410 --> 00:25.920
Thanks for having me back . I also want

00:25.920 --> 00:29.660
to thank john for everything that does

00:30.440 --> 00:32.570
to promote dialogue in this region .

00:34.040 --> 00:36.151
And I want to thank our national host

00:36.240 --> 00:39.840
Singapore for providing such a warm

00:39.840 --> 00:43.600
welcome for all of us . It's

00:43.600 --> 00:46.060
especially good to see Senior Minister

00:46.060 --> 00:49.780
Tayo Minister Ong and

00:49.780 --> 00:51.760
Minister Balakrishnan .

00:53.840 --> 00:57.450
Now , this is my first time to

00:57.460 --> 01:00.850
formally address a shangri la dialogue

01:00.850 --> 01:04.190
as Secretary of defense and I'm glad to

01:04.190 --> 01:07.280
have the chance to discuss many of my

01:07.280 --> 01:09.410
government's policies , but I'm also

01:09.410 --> 01:12.530
here to listen and to have some honest

01:12.530 --> 01:16.180
discussions . Now . The simple

01:16.180 --> 01:18.150
fact that this dialogue is back in

01:18.150 --> 01:21.760
person is absolutely encouraging .

01:23.040 --> 01:25.350
When I was here last year , my speech

01:26.140 --> 01:28.307
was one of the first public gatherings

01:28.307 --> 01:31.370
in Singapore as it was starting to

01:31.370 --> 01:34.060
reopen after the terrible early months

01:34.640 --> 01:38.310
of the pandemic . So

01:38.310 --> 01:41.760
going from one loan keynote to this

01:41.760 --> 01:44.540
bustling in person . Dialogue suggests

01:44.540 --> 01:47.460
the strides that this region has made .

01:49.040 --> 01:51.070
Now that's a great tribute to Prime

01:51.070 --> 01:53.820
Minister lee in our hosts from

01:53.820 --> 01:57.780
Singapore and Singapore has also helped

01:57.790 --> 02:01.570
others around the world recover . It's

02:01.570 --> 02:03.792
worked around the clock to produce life

02:03.792 --> 02:06.160
saving medical supplies , including

02:06.840 --> 02:09.160
test kits and ventilators and

02:09.640 --> 02:13.630
protective gear and the United

02:13.630 --> 02:15.741
States is deeply committed to getting

02:15.741 --> 02:17.850
the whole world past this pandemic

02:19.440 --> 02:22.570
since March of 2020 . We have provided

02:22.570 --> 02:26.150
more than $19 billion dollars worldwide

02:26.150 --> 02:29.180
to produce and deliver vaccines and to

02:29.180 --> 02:33.110
spur global recovery . We're

02:33.110 --> 02:35.710
proud to be the world's single largest

02:35.710 --> 02:39.590
donor of vaccines And we've pledged to

02:39.600 --> 02:42.670
distribute more than 1.2 billion

02:42.670 --> 02:45.630
vaccine doses worldwide . Before this

02:45.630 --> 02:48.920
year is out , we've already distributed

02:48.920 --> 02:52.150
more than half a billion doses and we

02:52.150 --> 02:55.700
won't let up . We're deeply committed

02:55.700 --> 02:59.420
to helping this region hell recover and

02:59.420 --> 03:03.130
rebuild because that's just what a

03:03.130 --> 03:06.450
friend does . And let's face it ,

03:07.940 --> 03:10.450
this pandemic has hit all of us where

03:10.450 --> 03:13.860
we live , it , upended all of our

03:13.860 --> 03:17.260
lives . It left tragedy and

03:17.260 --> 03:20.920
disruption in its way . But

03:20.920 --> 03:23.660
today we stand together at a moment

03:23.660 --> 03:26.550
that carries the promise of renewal

03:28.040 --> 03:30.151
and I hope that we'll all come out of

03:30.151 --> 03:33.620
the pandemic with a broader perspective

03:33.630 --> 03:36.680
on what lasting security means In the

03:36.680 --> 03:37.660
21st century .

03:40.520 --> 03:42.690
Now , the last time that I was in

03:42.690 --> 03:46.120
Singapore , the theme of my speech was

03:46.130 --> 03:50.080
the power of partnership . And so today

03:50.080 --> 03:52.420
I want to talk about what that has

03:52.420 --> 03:55.650
meant in action about how our

03:55.650 --> 03:58.060
partnerships have grown even stronger

03:59.350 --> 04:01.360
and about how we've moved together

04:01.940 --> 04:05.260
toward our shared vision for the region ,

04:07.820 --> 04:10.200
The journey that we've made together in

04:10.200 --> 04:13.880
the past year only underscores a

04:13.880 --> 04:16.980
basic truth in today's

04:16.990 --> 04:19.360
interwoven world . We're stronger when

04:19.360 --> 04:21.180
we find ways to come together

04:23.440 --> 04:26.350
and as we do so we know that most

04:26.350 --> 04:29.470
countries across the indo pacific share

04:29.470 --> 04:32.980
a common vision in our people

04:32.990 --> 04:34.600
share common dreams

04:36.910 --> 04:39.021
over the past decade . Our allies and

04:39.021 --> 04:42.000
partners across the region have written

04:42.000 --> 04:45.800
core elements of this vision . Take

04:45.800 --> 04:49.190
Prime Minister Kishida who has called

04:49.190 --> 04:53.150
for quote , a free and open order

04:53.940 --> 04:57.560
based on the rule of law , not mike .

04:59.740 --> 05:03.100
And last month , at the first ever US

05:03.540 --> 05:06.060
Asean special Summit in Washington ,

05:06.740 --> 05:08.518
the United States and our Asean

05:08.518 --> 05:10.880
partners declared our enduring

05:10.880 --> 05:13.960
commitment to the principles of quote

05:14.540 --> 05:17.660
an open , inclusive and rules base

05:18.840 --> 05:20.290
regional architecture

05:22.820 --> 05:24.760
and the quad leaders echoed that

05:24.760 --> 05:26.760
commitment at their own summit less

05:26.760 --> 05:28.038
than two weeks later .

05:30.710 --> 05:33.070
That means a shared belief in

05:33.070 --> 05:37.040
transparency . It also means a

05:37.050 --> 05:38.910
dedication to openness and

05:38.910 --> 05:42.440
accountability . It means a

05:42.440 --> 05:44.800
commitment to freedom of the seas ,

05:44.810 --> 05:48.790
skies and space and it

05:48.790 --> 05:52.540
means an insistence that disputes be

05:52.540 --> 05:56.160
resolved peacefully . We seek a

05:56.160 --> 05:58.960
region free of aggression and bullying

06:00.140 --> 06:02.340
and we seek a world that respects

06:02.470 --> 06:05.880
territorial integrity and political

06:05.890 --> 06:09.730
independence , a world that expands

06:09.730 --> 06:12.660
human rights and human dignity

06:14.040 --> 06:16.650
in the world in which all countries

06:16.650 --> 06:19.870
large and small , are free to thrive

06:19.870 --> 06:22.270
and to lawfully pursue their interests

06:23.140 --> 06:26.050
free from coercion and intimidation .

06:29.840 --> 06:33.300
Now we know the riptides that we face

06:34.640 --> 06:37.940
from covid to cyber threats to nuclear

06:37.940 --> 06:40.910
proliferation . And we feel the

06:40.910 --> 06:43.550
headwinds from threats and intimidation

06:44.140 --> 06:47.080
and the obsolete belief in a world

06:47.080 --> 06:50.480
carved up into spheres and influence .

06:52.940 --> 06:55.150
Now we are confident that we can steer

06:55.150 --> 06:58.560
forward , but we can only do it

06:59.440 --> 07:03.040
together . We all know the

07:03.040 --> 07:06.260
challenges that this region faces the

07:06.260 --> 07:09.260
pandemic climate change

07:10.140 --> 07:12.360
nuclear threats from north Korea

07:13.640 --> 07:16.320
coercion by larger states against their

07:16.320 --> 07:19.440
smaller neighbors in cruelty and

07:19.440 --> 07:21.750
violence from the from the regime in

07:21.750 --> 07:25.660
Myanmar and threats in the gray zone .

07:28.640 --> 07:31.710
These challenges demand shared

07:31.710 --> 07:34.160
responsibility and common action .

07:35.840 --> 07:38.160
And we must all reaffirm , reaffirm our

07:38.160 --> 07:40.600
common commitment to uphold

07:40.610 --> 07:44.340
international law , defend global norms

07:44.340 --> 07:47.500
and oppose unilateral changes to the

07:47.500 --> 07:51.460
status quo . You know ,

07:52.240 --> 07:54.400
just last month , President biden was

07:54.400 --> 07:57.710
in the region to reaffirm that these

07:57.710 --> 08:00.890
principles matter . And he was also

08:00.890 --> 08:03.000
here to underscore the depth of

08:03.000 --> 08:05.770
american commitment to the security and

08:05.770 --> 08:08.160
the prosperity of the indo pacific .

08:10.040 --> 08:12.540
That commitment has grown over the

08:12.540 --> 08:16.280
years and it is now the core organizing

08:16.280 --> 08:19.990
principle of american national security

08:19.990 --> 08:23.940
policy . Today

08:23.950 --> 08:26.100
the indo pacific is our priority

08:26.100 --> 08:29.860
theater of operations . Today , the

08:29.860 --> 08:31.800
indo pacific is at the heart of

08:31.800 --> 08:35.650
american grand strategy and today

08:36.630 --> 08:39.030
senior american officials including the

08:39.030 --> 08:41.460
president , the vice president , the

08:41.460 --> 08:43.370
secretary of State , the national

08:43.370 --> 08:46.170
security adviser and so many others

08:46.840 --> 08:49.450
travel constantly in this region .

08:51.840 --> 08:54.970
And today , american statecraft is

08:54.970 --> 08:58.440
rooted in this reality . No

08:58.440 --> 09:00.162
region will do more to set the

09:00.162 --> 09:02.162
trajectory of the 21st century than

09:02.162 --> 09:06.140
this one . And so the indo

09:06.140 --> 09:08.680
pacific is our center of strategic

09:08.680 --> 09:12.430
gravity and that's central to the

09:12.440 --> 09:14.384
biden administration's forthcoming

09:14.384 --> 09:16.820
national security strategy and to my

09:16.820 --> 09:18.987
Department's national Defense strategy

09:20.640 --> 09:22.418
and it's why the first regional

09:22.418 --> 09:24.584
strategy that the biden administration

09:24.584 --> 09:27.210
released was our indo pacific strategy .

09:30.640 --> 09:33.660
As President biden said in May in Tokyo .

09:35.240 --> 09:38.810
The United States is deeply invested in

09:38.810 --> 09:41.760
the indo pacific , We're committed for

09:41.760 --> 09:44.920
the long haul . Ready to champion our

09:44.920 --> 09:46.990
vision for a positive future for the

09:46.990 --> 09:50.360
region with our friends and partners .

09:52.840 --> 09:55.870
You know that future will be written

09:55.870 --> 09:59.390
not by any one country but by all the

09:59.390 --> 10:02.260
peoples of the indo pacific .

10:04.040 --> 10:06.900
And I'm proud that our unparalleled

10:06.900 --> 10:09.310
network of alliances and partnerships

10:09.420 --> 10:11.950
has only deepened since the last time

10:11.960 --> 10:13.404
that I was in Singapore .

10:16.240 --> 10:18.710
We've achieved an extraordinary amount

10:18.720 --> 10:22.030
in the past 11 months and that

10:22.040 --> 10:25.250
progress is rooted in working together .

10:28.340 --> 10:31.260
You see it in the region's effort to

10:31.260 --> 10:32.704
recover from the pandemic

10:35.040 --> 10:37.262
and you see it in the rapid development

10:37.262 --> 10:40.660
of the quad and in our new

10:40.660 --> 10:43.360
trilateral aucas security partnership .

10:45.040 --> 10:47.580
You see it in the launch of new climate

10:47.590 --> 10:50.150
resilience efforts with Asean

10:51.430 --> 10:53.460
and in our close partnership with

10:53.840 --> 10:57.710
pacific island countries . You

10:57.710 --> 11:00.280
see it in new opportunities for

11:00.280 --> 11:02.900
cooperation among Japan , the Republic

11:02.900 --> 11:06.880
of Korea and more and

11:06.880 --> 11:09.760
in renewed complex military exercises

11:10.440 --> 11:13.080
that deepen our interoperability and

11:13.080 --> 11:15.750
strengthen the region's security ,

11:20.540 --> 11:22.750
but not all the news in the past year

11:22.760 --> 11:26.100
has been good . So I'd like to take a

11:26.100 --> 11:29.030
few minutes to discuss the historic

11:29.030 --> 11:32.300
crisis caused by the Russian invasion

11:32.300 --> 11:35.610
of Ukraine Russia's

11:35.620 --> 11:37.900
indefensible assault on a peaceful

11:37.910 --> 11:41.360
neighbor has galvanized the world

11:42.610 --> 11:45.750
and Putin's reckless war of choice has

11:45.750 --> 11:48.410
reminded us all of the dangers of

11:48.420 --> 11:51.250
undercutting an international order

11:51.740 --> 11:54.050
rooted in rules and respect .

11:56.940 --> 12:00.840
So we're meeting today at a moment of

12:00.840 --> 12:04.630
great consequence for the whole unit

12:05.440 --> 12:09.280
and not just for europe President

12:09.280 --> 12:11.760
biden has been clear about the stakes

12:13.320 --> 12:17.070
in the Ukraine crisis poses some

12:17.080 --> 12:18.850
urgent questions for us all

12:21.640 --> 12:25.320
do rules matter ? Does

12:25.320 --> 12:28.760
sovereignty matter ? Does the

12:28.760 --> 12:31.360
system that we have built together

12:32.340 --> 12:36.080
matter ? I'm here

12:36.080 --> 12:39.970
because I believe that it does and I'm

12:39.970 --> 12:41.581
here because the rules based

12:41.581 --> 12:44.220
international order matters just as

12:44.220 --> 12:46.690
much in the indo pacific as it does in

12:46.690 --> 12:50.670
europe . Now . Our

12:50.670 --> 12:54.580
friends and partners also know that and

12:54.580 --> 12:56.747
they understand that smaller countries

12:56.747 --> 12:58.691
have a right to peacefully resolve

12:58.691 --> 13:00.858
disputes with their larger neighbors .

13:01.440 --> 13:04.480
And that's why Australia , Japan , new

13:04.480 --> 13:07.290
Zealand the Republic of Korea and

13:07.300 --> 13:09.470
others have rushed security assistance

13:09.470 --> 13:13.070
to Ukraine . And it's why countries

13:13.070 --> 13:15.590
across this region have spread

13:15.590 --> 13:17.620
humanitarian aid to the to the

13:17.620 --> 13:20.920
suffering Ukrainian people , including

13:20.920 --> 13:23.250
vital contributions from Singapore ,

13:23.840 --> 13:26.150
Thailand India and Vietnam .

13:28.040 --> 13:29.151
So let's be clear ,

13:31.340 --> 13:34.970
Russia's invasion of Ukraine is what

13:34.970 --> 13:37.860
happens when oppressors trample the

13:37.860 --> 13:39.760
rules that protect us all .

13:42.240 --> 13:44.129
It's what happens when big powers

13:44.129 --> 13:46.430
decide that their imperial appetites

13:46.900 --> 13:49.050
matter more than the rights of their

13:49.050 --> 13:52.710
peaceful neighbors . And it's a

13:52.710 --> 13:55.290
preview of a possible world of chaos

13:55.290 --> 13:58.410
and turmoil that none of us would want

13:58.410 --> 14:02.340
to live in . So

14:02.340 --> 14:06.100
we understand what we could lose . We

14:06.100 --> 14:08.660
see the dangers of disorder .

14:11.040 --> 14:14.540
So let's use this moment to come

14:14.540 --> 14:16.560
together in common purpose .

14:19.240 --> 14:21.570
Let's use this moment to strengthen the

14:21.570 --> 14:24.850
rules based international order . And

14:24.850 --> 14:27.020
let's use this moment to think about

14:27.030 --> 14:28.750
the future that we all want .

14:31.840 --> 14:33.784
That's really why I'm here today .

14:35.840 --> 14:38.250
The United States stands firmly beside

14:38.250 --> 14:41.960
our partners to ensure that we continue

14:41.960 --> 14:45.700
moving towards that shared vision and

14:45.700 --> 14:47.644
we will continue to do our part to

14:47.644 --> 14:49.978
strengthen security in the indo pacific ,

14:51.940 --> 14:54.107
you know , more members of the U . S .

14:54.107 --> 14:56.329
Military are stationed here than in any

14:56.329 --> 14:58.329
other part of the world . More than

14:58.329 --> 15:00.060
300,000 of our men and women .

15:02.710 --> 15:05.760
The president's fiscal year 2023 budget

15:06.400 --> 15:08.622
Makes one of the largest investments in

15:08.622 --> 15:11.240
history to preserve this region's

15:11.240 --> 15:14.850
security And that includes $6.1

15:14.850 --> 15:18.460
billion Pacific Deterrence Initiative ,

15:18.840 --> 15:20.784
which will strengthen multilateral

15:20.784 --> 15:23.100
information sharing and support

15:23.110 --> 15:25.221
training and experimentation with our

15:25.221 --> 15:29.190
partners . To stay at the cutting

15:29.190 --> 15:31.610
edge . We must invest in innovation

15:31.610 --> 15:35.200
across all domains including space and

15:35.200 --> 15:38.500
cyberspace . So we recently made the

15:38.500 --> 15:41.490
department's largest ever budget

15:41.490 --> 15:43.490
request for research , research and

15:43.490 --> 15:47.450
development More than $130 billion .

15:49.240 --> 15:51.129
Meanwhile , we're working hard to

15:51.129 --> 15:53.073
develop new capabilities that will

15:53.073 --> 15:56.100
allow us to deter aggression even more

15:56.100 --> 15:59.060
surely , including stealth aircraft ,

15:59.940 --> 16:02.810
unmanned platforms and long range

16:02.810 --> 16:06.800
precision fires . And we're on the

16:06.800 --> 16:09.720
cusp of delivering prototypes for high

16:09.720 --> 16:12.060
energy lasers that can counter missiles .

16:13.240 --> 16:15.462
And we're developing integrated sensors

16:15.462 --> 16:17.570
that operate at the intersection of

16:17.580 --> 16:21.250
cyber e W . And radar communications .

16:23.140 --> 16:26.190
And so all of this helps us to do even

16:26.260 --> 16:29.390
even more to stand shoulder to shoulder

16:29.390 --> 16:30.446
with our friends ,

16:33.240 --> 16:35.960
our security alliances and partnerships

16:36.640 --> 16:38.930
in the indo pacific are a profound

16:38.930 --> 16:42.660
source of stability . So our

16:42.660 --> 16:44.660
integrated deterrence in the region

16:44.660 --> 16:47.450
will continue to center on our ties

16:47.450 --> 16:49.430
with our proud treaty allies ,

16:50.040 --> 16:53.360
Australia , Japan , the Philippines ,

16:53.370 --> 16:54.970
South Korea and Thailand

16:57.640 --> 17:00.560
and we remain unwavering in our mutual

17:00.560 --> 17:04.540
defense commitments . At the same time

17:04.540 --> 17:06.520
we're weaving , we're also weaving

17:06.520 --> 17:09.170
closer ties with other partners and I'm

17:09.170 --> 17:11.114
especially thinking of India , the

17:11.114 --> 17:14.880
world's largest democracy . We

17:14.880 --> 17:16.769
believe that its growing military

17:16.769 --> 17:18.824
capability and technological prowess

17:18.824 --> 17:20.713
can be a stabilizing force in the

17:20.713 --> 17:24.070
region . And we're taking our defense

17:24.070 --> 17:27.540
cooperation with Singapore Indonesia

17:27.540 --> 17:29.460
and Vietnam to the next level

17:32.440 --> 17:36.220
in the past year . My belief in the

17:36.220 --> 17:39.340
strategic power of partnerships has

17:39.350 --> 17:43.140
only deepened and that's at the

17:43.140 --> 17:45.550
heart of President biden of the

17:45.550 --> 17:48.110
President's indo pacific strategy .

17:50.540 --> 17:52.780
Our work together helps ensure that all

17:52.780 --> 17:55.160
countries in the region large and small

17:55.540 --> 17:58.800
have a say in its future . It helps

17:58.800 --> 18:00.910
ensure that the status quo can't be

18:00.910 --> 18:03.690
disrupted in ways that harm all of our

18:03.690 --> 18:07.540
security and it helps strengthen our

18:07.540 --> 18:10.230
ability to find common solutions the

18:10.230 --> 18:11.341
common challenges .

18:14.840 --> 18:17.200
So I wanted to highlight three key ways

18:17.200 --> 18:19.256
in which we've been working together

18:19.540 --> 18:22.360
with our friends and partners over the

18:22.360 --> 18:25.840
past year and how that's bringing us

18:25.840 --> 18:29.080
closer to our shared vision , shared

18:29.080 --> 18:31.960
vision for this region's future .

18:34.040 --> 18:36.720
First we're working with our partners

18:36.720 --> 18:38.942
and allies to ensure that they have the

18:38.942 --> 18:41.780
right capabilities to defend their

18:41.780 --> 18:45.480
interest and to deter aggression and to

18:45.480 --> 18:47.560
thrive on their own terms .

18:49.600 --> 18:51.489
Now as we invest in innovation in

18:51.489 --> 18:54.140
America we are committed to bringing

18:54.140 --> 18:56.400
our allies and partners along with us

18:57.040 --> 18:59.096
and that means sharing the fruits of

18:59.096 --> 19:01.770
our R . And D . Success . So we're

19:01.770 --> 19:04.200
working with our friends to link our

19:04.200 --> 19:06.950
defense industrial base is to integrate

19:06.950 --> 19:10.400
our supply chains and even co produce

19:10.410 --> 19:14.320
some key technologies . Last

19:14.320 --> 19:16.487
year the department launched the rapid

19:16.487 --> 19:19.380
defense experimentation reserve to

19:19.380 --> 19:21.790
quickly get promising technology and

19:21.790 --> 19:24.140
prototypes into the hands of our war

19:24.140 --> 19:26.640
fighters . And we're working even more

19:26.640 --> 19:29.610
closely with trusted partners as we

19:29.610 --> 19:33.220
test game to game changing technologies

19:33.220 --> 19:36.770
together . And that's another

19:36.770 --> 19:39.610
reason why our new security partnership

19:39.610 --> 19:41.940
with Australia and the U . K . Is so

19:41.940 --> 19:45.720
important . Aucas won't

19:45.720 --> 19:48.170
just deliver nuclear powered submarines .

19:49.140 --> 19:52.730
It holds a promise of progress across a

19:52.730 --> 19:55.380
range of emerging tech areas that can

19:55.380 --> 19:58.250
bolster our deterrence from ai to

19:58.250 --> 20:01.920
hypersonic emerging

20:01.920 --> 20:05.110
technology is crucial to

20:05.120 --> 20:07.460
prosperity . Also

20:09.420 --> 20:11.642
to maintain the region's access to this

20:11.642 --> 20:14.180
sort of critical technology . We need

20:14.180 --> 20:17.700
to keep its supply chains secure . And

20:17.700 --> 20:20.180
that's central to our new Indo Pacific

20:20.190 --> 20:22.330
Economic Framework which President

20:22.330 --> 20:24.390
Biden recently launched with 12

20:24.390 --> 20:26.279
partners from across the region ,

20:26.340 --> 20:29.130
including many partners here in

20:29.130 --> 20:33.080
Southeast Asia . Now , I'm also very

20:33.080 --> 20:35.302
proud of our progress with our partners

20:35.302 --> 20:37.358
this past year in a second important

20:37.358 --> 20:40.300
area and that area is

20:40.310 --> 20:43.880
exercises and training that

20:43.880 --> 20:46.500
expands our common readiness . It

20:46.500 --> 20:48.720
deepens our interoperability and it

20:48.720 --> 20:51.350
helps defend the principles that we

20:51.350 --> 20:55.200
share . So we stepped

20:55.200 --> 20:58.990
up the complexity , the jointness and

20:58.990 --> 21:01.390
the scale of our combined exercises

21:01.390 --> 21:05.040
with our allies and partners take our

21:05.040 --> 21:07.920
keen sword exercises with Japan which

21:08.200 --> 21:11.700
this year used existing and

21:11.700 --> 21:14.040
emerging capabilities in a far more

21:14.050 --> 21:17.820
integrated manner . Or take our

21:17.820 --> 21:20.098
talisman saber exercise with Australia ,

21:20.940 --> 21:23.000
which was joined last time by Canada

21:23.000 --> 21:25.720
japan , new Zealand the UK and for the

21:25.720 --> 21:28.170
first time , the Republic of Korea

21:29.940 --> 21:33.430
in april the United States and the

21:33.430 --> 21:35.374
Philippines held our annual ballot

21:35.374 --> 21:39.230
catan exercise . It was our 37th

21:39.230 --> 21:42.210
time and the largest and most most

21:42.210 --> 21:45.890
complex iteration involving some 9000

21:45.890 --> 21:49.460
troops . And last spring

21:50.140 --> 21:52.990
the USS Theodore Roosevelt carrier

21:52.990 --> 21:55.550
strike group rotated through the indian

21:55.550 --> 21:58.480
ocean and we conducted

21:58.490 --> 22:01.310
simultaneous joint operations with the

22:01.310 --> 22:03.610
indian navy and the indian air force

22:03.610 --> 22:06.190
that integrated air power and anti

22:06.190 --> 22:07.360
submarine warfare .

22:10.140 --> 22:12.140
We're also finding new ways for our

22:12.140 --> 22:14.990
friends to operate together and looking

22:14.990 --> 22:17.120
for new constellations of partners

22:17.490 --> 22:19.657
including good friends from europe and

22:19.657 --> 22:22.960
beyond . Just think of

22:23.840 --> 22:27.250
la peruse and exercise last spring with

22:27.250 --> 22:30.630
navies from Australia France , India

22:30.640 --> 22:33.980
and Japan or consider

22:34.180 --> 22:37.790
Garuda shield our annual bi bi lateral

22:37.790 --> 22:41.550
exercise with Indonesia . In this

22:41.550 --> 22:44.710
august for the first time we're

22:44.710 --> 22:48.530
expanding it It will now include

22:48.650 --> 22:51.350
a total of 14 participating countries

22:51.840 --> 22:55.750
including Australia . Canada Japan

22:56.100 --> 22:59.860
and Singapore and later this month will

22:59.860 --> 23:02.170
host the 28th iteration of rimpac

23:03.840 --> 23:07.520
Forces from 26 countries With 38

23:07.520 --> 23:11.100
ships and nearly 25,000 personnel will

23:11.100 --> 23:13.570
gather along US shore's for the world's

23:13.580 --> 23:15.850
largest naval exercise .

23:18.340 --> 23:20.370
Now we're also working more closely

23:20.370 --> 23:22.510
with our partners in ways that aren't

23:22.510 --> 23:25.210
quite so visible and that includes

23:25.210 --> 23:27.390
tackling gray zone actions that chip

23:27.390 --> 23:29.660
away at international laws and norms .

23:31.040 --> 23:33.020
And we're bringing the full we're

23:33.020 --> 23:35.187
bringing to bear the full resources of

23:35.187 --> 23:38.540
the US government to do so . And that

23:38.540 --> 23:40.600
includes unprecedented Coast Guard

23:40.600 --> 23:43.670
investments in the indo pacific . And

23:43.670 --> 23:46.640
I'm proud to say that the Coast Guard's

23:46.640 --> 23:49.220
new outstanding commandant at Olinda

23:49.220 --> 23:52.270
Fagan is here with us in Singapore .

23:53.040 --> 23:55.490
And within her first two weeks on the

23:55.490 --> 23:59.090
job that I might add , you know , it's

23:59.090 --> 24:01.090
the first time that a U . S . Coast

24:01.090 --> 24:03.450
Guard commandant has joined us at the

24:03.450 --> 24:06.320
Shangri La dialogue and it's a sign of

24:06.320 --> 24:10.230
how important Southeast Asia is to

24:10.230 --> 24:13.710
the Coast Guard . Next year , our Coast

24:13.710 --> 24:16.850
Guard will also deploy a cutter to

24:16.850 --> 24:20.380
Southeast Asia and Oceana . And that

24:20.380 --> 24:22.324
will open up new opportunities for

24:22.324 --> 24:25.500
multinational crewing training and

24:25.500 --> 24:29.500
cooperation across the region . And it

24:29.500 --> 24:31.920
will be the first major U . S . Coast

24:31.920 --> 24:34.790
Guard cutter permanently stationed in

24:34.790 --> 24:35.790
the region .

24:39.630 --> 24:41.852
And that brings me to a third important

24:41.852 --> 24:45.180
aspect of our common efforts to defend

24:45.190 --> 24:46.960
our shared principles

24:48.950 --> 24:51.330
more and more . We're working in new

24:51.530 --> 24:54.820
and flexible and custom made ways with

24:54.820 --> 24:58.600
our friends and our partners are

24:58.600 --> 25:00.822
doing the same thing with one another .

25:01.540 --> 25:04.030
Even as we strengthen our commitment to

25:04.040 --> 25:07.520
Asean centrality and its leading place

25:07.590 --> 25:11.410
in the regional architecture and that's

25:11.410 --> 25:13.521
meant the rise of nimble and flexible

25:13.521 --> 25:16.930
security networks that adds stability

25:16.930 --> 25:20.890
to the region . You see this trend in

25:20.890 --> 25:23.300
new , important , important new

25:23.300 --> 25:25.560
discussions about regional security

25:26.340 --> 25:28.340
with different groups of partners ,

25:28.340 --> 25:30.007
talking together about shared

25:30.007 --> 25:32.173
challenges and working together in new

25:32.173 --> 25:35.920
ways . Since 2015 , Australia ,

25:35.930 --> 25:38.660
India and Japan have been holding

25:38.660 --> 25:40.700
security dialogues about maritime

25:40.700 --> 25:44.230
security cooperation . In just the past

25:44.230 --> 25:46.397
few months , Japan and the Philippines

25:46.397 --> 25:49.400
launched a new 2-plus 2 dialogue and so

25:49.400 --> 25:53.230
did Australia and India . Our

25:53.230 --> 25:55.230
trilateral defense cooperation with

25:55.230 --> 25:59.050
Australia and Japan remains pivotal and

25:59.050 --> 26:00.994
we continue to integrate our three

26:00.994 --> 26:04.980
militaries in key areas . I

26:04.980 --> 26:07.370
was also glad to attend the A . D . M .

26:07.370 --> 26:10.370
M . Plus last year and I look forward

26:10.370 --> 26:13.270
to meeting with Asean defense Ministers

26:13.740 --> 26:17.690
again this fall and meanwhile

26:18.440 --> 26:20.720
Over the past 18 months we've helped to

26:20.720 --> 26:24.320
bring new vigor to the quad . That

26:24.320 --> 26:26.770
includes a third quad Leaders Summit

26:26.780 --> 26:29.710
last month bringing together four other

26:29.710 --> 26:32.730
regions largest largest producers of

26:32.730 --> 26:36.470
prosperity and security . And as the

26:36.470 --> 26:39.450
quad leaders have noted , they are

26:39.460 --> 26:41.420
eager to work with Asean and the

26:41.420 --> 26:43.610
pacific islands to advance our shared

26:43.610 --> 26:47.200
goals . We're also working together

26:47.200 --> 26:49.500
to make the region's security

26:49.500 --> 26:52.650
architecture more transparent and more

26:52.660 --> 26:56.420
inclusive . So think of the new indo

26:56.420 --> 26:58.780
pacific partnership for maritime domain

26:58.780 --> 27:01.050
awareness which President biden

27:01.050 --> 27:04.050
announced in Tokyo last month .

27:06.440 --> 27:08.551
Now this important initiative aims to

27:08.551 --> 27:10.607
provide better access to space based

27:11.310 --> 27:13.940
and maritime domain awareness . Two

27:13.940 --> 27:16.162
countries across the region , including

27:16.162 --> 27:19.370
here in Southeast Asia . And this new

27:19.370 --> 27:21.880
partnership will harness together

27:21.880 --> 27:24.047
regional information centers that will

27:24.047 --> 27:25.880
help us build a common operating

27:25.880 --> 27:28.270
picture and work together to tackle

27:28.280 --> 27:31.110
illegal fishing and other gray zone

27:31.110 --> 27:34.860
activities in

27:34.860 --> 27:37.720
today's interconnected world . We're

27:37.720 --> 27:39.960
also seeing new ways to support our

27:39.960 --> 27:43.230
european security partners growing

27:43.230 --> 27:46.210
engagement in the indo pacific . So

27:46.210 --> 27:48.850
we'll keep expanding our consultations

27:49.940 --> 27:51.970
with european countries on regional

27:51.970 --> 27:55.760
security issues . It will deepen and

27:55.760 --> 27:57.770
widen the dialogue and corporation

27:58.340 --> 28:01.440
among NATO and our core indo pacific

28:01.440 --> 28:05.270
allies . You know , several of our

28:05.840 --> 28:08.810
european allies have been deploying to

28:08.810 --> 28:11.140
the indo pacific and operating

28:11.140 --> 28:13.000
alongside our partners here in

28:13.010 --> 28:16.220
unprecedented ways . United Kingdom

28:16.220 --> 28:18.990
made history last year with this

28:18.990 --> 28:21.550
deployment of the HMS Queen Elizabeth

28:22.340 --> 28:24.284
as part of a multinational carrier

28:24.284 --> 28:27.290
strike group that included a US

28:27.290 --> 28:30.880
destroyer , An American Marine Corps F

28:30.880 --> 28:34.220
35 Squadron . And so it was

28:34.220 --> 28:36.450
a significant accomplishment .

28:37.900 --> 28:40.650
Such deployments send a message of

28:40.650 --> 28:43.600
strength and stability and that's

28:43.600 --> 28:45.830
deeply important for all the peoples of

28:45.830 --> 28:49.280
the region . And it's especially

28:49.280 --> 28:51.169
important given the challenges to

28:51.169 --> 28:53.540
security and stability in the indo

28:53.540 --> 28:57.290
pacific as our

28:57.290 --> 28:59.300
national Security National Defense

28:59.300 --> 29:02.800
Strategy notes , we all face a

29:02.800 --> 29:04.860
persistent threat from North Korea .

29:06.940 --> 29:09.060
United States will stand ready ,

29:10.740 --> 29:14.170
always stand ready to deter aggression

29:15.040 --> 29:17.262
and to uphold our treaty commitments to

29:17.262 --> 29:19.280
the and and the will of the U . N .

29:19.280 --> 29:23.130
Security Council . North Korea's

29:23.130 --> 29:25.540
habitual provocations and missile tests

29:26.440 --> 29:29.860
only underscore the urgency of our task .

29:31.240 --> 29:33.240
And so we're deepening the security

29:33.240 --> 29:35.460
corporation among the United States ,

29:36.340 --> 29:39.090
Japan and the Republic of Korea .

29:40.550 --> 29:42.272
Together , we will continue to

29:42.272 --> 29:44.217
strengthen our extended deterrence

29:44.217 --> 29:46.350
against nuclear arms and ballistic

29:46.360 --> 29:50.230
missile systems . And we remain open to

29:50.230 --> 29:53.690
future diplomacy and fully prepared to

29:53.700 --> 29:57.080
deter and to and to defeat future

29:57.080 --> 30:00.740
aggression will also stand by our

30:00.740 --> 30:02.851
friends as they uphold their rights .

30:05.040 --> 30:06.960
And that's especially important

30:09.040 --> 30:12.060
as a P . R . C . Adopts a more coercive

30:12.640 --> 30:14.920
an aggressive approach to its

30:14.920 --> 30:18.750
territorial claims . In the east china

30:18.750 --> 30:20.840
sea . The PRC is expanding fishing

30:20.840 --> 30:24.420
fleet is sparking tensions with his

30:24.420 --> 30:28.110
neighbors in the south china sea . The

30:28.110 --> 30:31.060
PRC is using outpost on manmade islands

30:31.640 --> 30:34.000
bristling with advanced weaponry to

30:34.000 --> 30:37.270
advance . It's illegal maritime claims .

30:40.540 --> 30:42.690
We're seeing PRC vessels plunder the

30:42.690 --> 30:46.280
region's provisions operating illegally

30:46.280 --> 30:48.720
within the territorial waters of other

30:48.730 --> 30:51.170
indo pacific indo pacific countries .

30:52.840 --> 30:55.780
And further to the west , we see

30:55.780 --> 30:58.140
Beijing continue to harden its position

30:58.150 --> 31:00.206
along the border that it shares with

31:00.206 --> 31:03.440
India . You know , indo pacific

31:03.440 --> 31:05.384
countries shouldn't face political

31:05.384 --> 31:08.770
intimidation , economic coercion

31:09.440 --> 31:12.940
or harassment by maritime militias .

31:14.840 --> 31:18.430
So the Department of Defense will

31:18.430 --> 31:21.260
maintain our active presence across the

31:21.260 --> 31:24.570
indo pacific We will continue to

31:24.570 --> 31:28.210
support the 2016 Arbitral Tribunal

31:28.210 --> 31:31.680
ruling and we will fly sail and

31:31.690 --> 31:34.500
operate wherever international law

31:34.510 --> 31:38.390
allows and we'll do

31:38.390 --> 31:40.660
this right alongside our partners

31:42.540 --> 31:44.596
and will continue to be candid about

31:44.596 --> 31:46.484
the challenges that we all face .

31:48.440 --> 31:50.607
We've seen an alarming increase in the

31:50.607 --> 31:53.120
number of unsafe aerial intercepts and

31:53.630 --> 31:56.810
confrontations at sea by Pl Pl aircraft

31:56.810 --> 32:00.060
and vessels in february .

32:00.840 --> 32:03.360
A pla navy ship directed a laser and an

32:03.360 --> 32:05.304
Australian P eight maritime patrol

32:05.304 --> 32:08.180
aircraft , seriously endangering

32:08.180 --> 32:11.960
everyone on board . And in the past few

32:11.960 --> 32:12.420
weeks ,

32:16.710 --> 32:18.920
fighters have conducted a series of

32:18.920 --> 32:22.690
dangerous intercepts of allied aircraft

32:22.700 --> 32:25.850
operating lawfully in the east china

32:25.860 --> 32:28.490
and south china seas . Now this should

32:28.490 --> 32:32.440
worry us all and the stakes are

32:32.440 --> 32:34.662
especially stark in the Taiwan strait .

32:36.540 --> 32:40.170
Our policy is unchanged and unwavering .

32:41.140 --> 32:43.170
It has been consistent across

32:43.180 --> 32:46.530
administrations and we are determined

32:46.530 --> 32:49.030
to uphold the status quo that has

32:49.030 --> 32:51.670
served this region so well for so long .

32:52.840 --> 32:56.340
So let me be clear , We remain

32:56.340 --> 32:58.610
firmly committed to our long standing

32:58.610 --> 33:02.090
one China policy guided by the Taiwan

33:02.090 --> 33:04.460
relations Act , The three joint

33:04.460 --> 33:07.060
communiques and the six assurances .

33:08.640 --> 33:12.100
We categorically oppose any unilateral

33:12.100 --> 33:14.280
changes to the status quo from either

33:14.280 --> 33:18.020
side and we do not support Taiwan

33:18.030 --> 33:21.640
independence and we stand firmly behind

33:21.640 --> 33:23.780
the principle that cross strait

33:23.780 --> 33:26.190
differences must be resolved by

33:26.190 --> 33:27.170
peaceful means .

33:29.810 --> 33:33.060
Now , as a part of our one china policy ,

33:33.940 --> 33:35.718
we will continue to fulfill our

33:35.718 --> 33:37.884
commitments under the Taiwan Relations

33:37.884 --> 33:40.840
Act and that includes assisting Taiwan

33:40.840 --> 33:44.510
and maintaining a sufficient self

33:44.510 --> 33:47.570
defense capability . And it means

33:47.570 --> 33:50.890
maintaining our own capacity to resist

33:50.900 --> 33:53.740
any use of force or other forms of

33:53.740 --> 33:55.684
coercion that would jeopardize the

33:55.684 --> 33:58.220
security or the social or economic

33:58.220 --> 34:01.920
system of the people of Taiwan . So

34:01.930 --> 34:05.130
our policy hasn't changed . But

34:05.130 --> 34:08.080
unfortunately that doesn't seem to be

34:08.080 --> 34:11.750
true for the P . R . C . As my friend

34:11.750 --> 34:13.750
Secretary of State Blinken has also

34:13.750 --> 34:16.830
noted , we see growing coercion from

34:16.830 --> 34:20.540
Beijing . We've witnessed a

34:20.540 --> 34:23.090
steady increase in provocative and

34:23.090 --> 34:25.260
destabilizing military activity near

34:25.260 --> 34:28.160
Taiwan and that includes

34:28.810 --> 34:31.080
aircraft flying near Taiwan in record

34:31.090 --> 34:34.110
numbers in recent months and nearly on

34:34.110 --> 34:37.770
a daily basis . And we remain focused

34:37.770 --> 34:41.140
on maintaining peace stability and the

34:41.140 --> 34:44.330
status quo across across the Taiwan

34:44.330 --> 34:47.520
strait . But the P . R . C . S .

34:47.530 --> 34:50.940
Moves threatened to undermine security

34:50.940 --> 34:53.780
and stability and prosperity in the

34:53.780 --> 34:57.670
indo pacific and that's crucial

34:57.670 --> 35:01.040
for this region and it's crucial for

35:01.040 --> 35:04.660
the wider world maintaining peace and

35:04.660 --> 35:06.604
stability across the Taiwan strait

35:06.610 --> 35:09.880
isn't just a U . S . Interest , it's a

35:09.880 --> 35:11.820
matter of matter of international

35:11.820 --> 35:15.390
concern . So let me be

35:15.390 --> 35:18.610
clear we do not seek

35:18.620 --> 35:22.160
confrontation or conflict and we do not

35:22.160 --> 35:26.160
seek a new Cold war . An asian NATO

35:26.840 --> 35:29.770
or a region split into hostile blocs .

35:31.340 --> 35:33.396
We will defend our interests without

35:33.396 --> 35:36.800
flinching but we'll also work toward

35:36.800 --> 35:40.510
our vision and for this region one of

35:40.510 --> 35:43.670
expanding security one of

35:45.140 --> 35:49.140
increased uh cooperation and not one

35:49.140 --> 35:52.320
of growing division . And I continue to

35:52.320 --> 35:55.190
believe that big powers carry big

35:55.200 --> 35:58.920
responsibilities and so we will do

35:58.920 --> 36:01.850
our part to manage these tensions

36:01.850 --> 36:05.770
responsibly and to prevent conflict and

36:05.770 --> 36:08.840
to pursue peace and prosperity . And as

36:08.840 --> 36:11.510
I said in Singapore last year great

36:11.510 --> 36:14.070
powers should be models of transparency

36:14.070 --> 36:17.470
and communication . So we're working

36:17.470 --> 36:19.581
closely with both our competitors and

36:19.581 --> 36:21.420
our friends to strengthen the

36:21.420 --> 36:24.650
guardrails against conflict . And that

36:24.650 --> 36:26.261
includes fully open lines of

36:26.261 --> 36:28.690
communication with China's defense

36:28.690 --> 36:31.950
leaders to ensure that we can avoid any

36:31.960 --> 36:35.140
miscalculations . And these are

36:35.140 --> 36:38.950
deeply , deeply important conversations .

36:40.710 --> 36:42.932
The United States is fully committed to

36:42.932 --> 36:46.830
during our part and that's

36:46.830 --> 36:50.550
why I'm here today . I am proud of our

36:50.550 --> 36:53.560
commitment to this region . I'm proud

36:53.560 --> 36:55.830
of our unmatched and unrivaled network

36:55.830 --> 36:58.700
of allies and partners . I'm proud of

36:58.700 --> 37:02.110
our commitment to openness and human

37:02.110 --> 37:05.860
dignity . You know , in recent

37:05.860 --> 37:08.160
decades , we become even more inclusive

37:08.630 --> 37:10.630
in our approach to the indo pacific

37:11.530 --> 37:13.752
We've expanded our cooperation with our

37:13.752 --> 37:16.440
allies and partners and we've worked in

37:16.440 --> 37:19.690
tandem with new and existing regional

37:19.700 --> 37:23.080
institutions and all of that builds new

37:23.080 --> 37:25.480
habits of cooperation across this

37:25.480 --> 37:28.960
region and it builds on old friendships

37:28.970 --> 37:31.026
in the indo pacific . Going back for

37:31.026 --> 37:34.260
many , many decades , we seek

37:34.270 --> 37:36.950
inclusion not division .

37:37.930 --> 37:41.850
We seek cooperation and not strife

37:42.930 --> 37:45.152
and that means we're following the wise

37:45.152 --> 37:48.040
counsel from Prime Minister Lee

37:49.730 --> 37:53.390
who argues that nobody should

37:53.390 --> 37:56.050
force binary choices on the region .

37:58.930 --> 38:02.800
He's right . Our fellow indo pacific

38:02.800 --> 38:05.760
nations should be free to choose

38:06.820 --> 38:10.170
free to prosper and free to chart their

38:10.170 --> 38:13.650
own course . Ladies and gentlemen ,

38:13.660 --> 38:16.460
this region has already cast its vote

38:16.470 --> 38:18.890
on what kind of a future it seeks .

38:20.220 --> 38:22.730
It's an interconnected and optimistic

38:22.730 --> 38:25.830
future . One rooted in the rule of law

38:25.840 --> 38:28.050
and a profound commitment to freedom

38:28.180 --> 38:31.540
and openness and it's a future that we

38:31.540 --> 38:35.090
can only make real by working together

38:38.120 --> 38:40.120
As President Kennedy put it back in

38:40.120 --> 38:43.040
1962 . Okay ,

38:44.220 --> 38:47.520
acting on our own by ourselves . We

38:47.520 --> 38:49.742
cannot establish justice throughout the

38:49.742 --> 38:53.070
world or provide for his common

38:53.080 --> 38:56.320
defense or promote its general

38:56.330 --> 38:59.940
welfare . But join with other free

38:59.940 --> 39:03.190
nations , we can do all this and more

39:04.520 --> 39:08.210
and ultimately we can help to achieve a

39:08.210 --> 39:11.930
world of law and of free choice .

39:13.220 --> 39:16.890
Banishing the world of war and coercion .

39:19.120 --> 39:23.030
Now , that's a vision worth working for .

39:24.220 --> 39:26.260
It's a vision grounded in the best

39:26.260 --> 39:28.850
traditions of the United States and

39:28.850 --> 39:30.794
it's a vision that reaches for the

39:30.794 --> 39:33.330
highest aspirations for the indo

39:33.330 --> 39:37.030
pacific . We don't believe

39:37.720 --> 39:41.400
that this vision can be imposed , but

39:41.400 --> 39:44.640
we do believe that it can be achieved

39:46.020 --> 39:49.800
by working together by listening to one

39:49.800 --> 39:53.020
another and by acting as good friends

39:53.020 --> 39:56.590
and good neighbors and by

39:56.590 --> 40:00.330
again showing the world the

40:00.330 --> 40:04.210
power of partnership . It's great to

40:04.210 --> 40:06.210
be here with all of you . Thank you

40:06.210 --> 40:08.740
very much . Yeah .

40:11.710 --> 40:14.140
Okay . Yeah .

40:16.810 --> 40:18.866
Thank you very much . Mr Secretary .

40:18.866 --> 40:21.032
That's one of the strongest statements

40:21.032 --> 40:23.199
we've heard from this podium . A clear

40:23.199 --> 40:25.310
declaration that american strategy is

40:25.310 --> 40:27.532
rooted in the indo pacific which is the

40:27.532 --> 40:29.620
center of gravity of its strategic

40:29.630 --> 40:32.370
effort . A specific assertion that

40:32.370 --> 40:34.620
sharing the fruits of your R and D .

40:34.620 --> 40:37.640
Success with allies and partners and

40:37.640 --> 40:41.130
testing game changing technologies with

40:41.130 --> 40:43.241
each other is an important priority .

40:43.241 --> 40:45.352
And I think everybody will have taken

40:45.352 --> 40:47.408
note also of your concluding remarks

40:47.408 --> 40:49.408
that no country should be forced to

40:49.408 --> 40:51.670
make binary choices . Thank you very

40:51.670 --> 40:53.559
much for that . And all the other

40:53.559 --> 40:56.200
things that were in your remarks , I

40:56.200 --> 40:58.367
have a number of people who have asked

40:58.367 --> 41:00.422
the floor and I'll turn to them in a

41:00.422 --> 41:02.589
group shortly . I just want to ask the

41:02.589 --> 41:04.811
secretary one question before I go back

41:04.811 --> 41:06.811
to the floor . So we deal with that

41:06.811 --> 41:08.867
other issue in the world that is now

41:08.867 --> 41:10.811
occupying so many people's minds .

41:10.910 --> 41:12.854
Secretary , often when you were in

41:12.854 --> 41:15.700
centcom , one of your big duties was to

41:15.700 --> 41:17.811
ensure the straits of Hormuz would be

41:17.811 --> 41:20.089
open so that oil could flow through it .

41:20.089 --> 41:22.320
And indeed often it was argued that

41:22.410 --> 41:24.430
America's Middle East strategy was

41:24.430 --> 41:26.430
linked to its indo pacific strategy

41:26.430 --> 41:28.597
because without being able to keep the

41:28.597 --> 41:30.374
straits of hormones open agents

41:30.374 --> 41:32.430
wouldn't be able to benefit from the

41:32.430 --> 41:34.430
oil that was produced and sold from

41:34.430 --> 41:36.652
there . Now in the Black Sea , you have

41:36.652 --> 41:38.652
22 million tons of grains , many of

41:38.652 --> 41:38.500
which will be going to countries in

41:38.500 --> 41:40.660
this region or should be going for

41:40.660 --> 41:42.960
example , to Indonesia . And as a

41:42.960 --> 41:45.127
consequence of the war , the Black Sea

41:45.127 --> 41:47.293
is effectively closed . There are many

41:47.293 --> 41:49.460
efforts of negotiation with Russia and

41:49.460 --> 41:51.460
Ukraine and others to seek a way to

41:51.460 --> 41:51.120
opening that . But given that that's

41:51.120 --> 41:53.290
such an important humanitarian

41:53.290 --> 41:55.970
necessity . Can you envision a role for

41:55.980 --> 41:58.190
navies in the military to support the

41:58.190 --> 42:00.720
humanitarian effort to ensure that

42:00.900 --> 42:04.090
humanitarian traffic grains can flow

42:04.100 --> 42:06.510
from the ports in the Black Sea to

42:06.510 --> 42:09.420
other places in the world ? Well , let

42:09.420 --> 42:11.820
me just say that this is a very

42:11.820 --> 42:15.230
important issue and one that leaders in

42:15.230 --> 42:17.340
the region and across the globe are

42:17.340 --> 42:20.970
focused on um when you ask whether or

42:20.970 --> 42:23.870
not the our militaries of the region

42:23.870 --> 42:25.981
and the world can add value of course

42:25.981 --> 42:29.070
we can . But you know , we would always

42:29.070 --> 42:31.170
want to seek a diplomatic solution

42:31.170 --> 42:34.900
first and I see a lot of energy

42:34.910 --> 42:37.210
in that in that area ongoing as we

42:37.210 --> 42:40.250
speak . And we would hope that uh that

42:40.250 --> 42:42.660
the right things happen , you know ,

42:42.660 --> 42:44.882
But this , this didn't have to happen .

42:45.300 --> 42:47.430
We are here because of the choice of

42:47.430 --> 42:50.310
one man , the choice of Vladimir Putin ,

42:50.800 --> 42:54.000
he chose to invade his neighbor

42:54.170 --> 42:57.970
unprovoked invasion . This was

42:57.980 --> 43:01.320
not based on any kind of um any kind of

43:01.320 --> 43:04.000
logic or reason and we see the

43:04.000 --> 43:06.930
consequences of of actions like that .

43:07.400 --> 43:10.620
And so I think that's uh that reminds

43:10.620 --> 43:13.030
us of how important the rules based

43:13.030 --> 43:16.510
international order is . Alternative

43:16.510 --> 43:18.454
four take three or four in a group

43:18.454 --> 43:21.120
first from the Republic of Korea . Uh

43:21.130 --> 43:22.430
chung min lee ,

43:34.700 --> 43:36.980
thank you Mr Secretary , my question to

43:36.980 --> 43:39.950
you is as we speak Russian and chinese

43:39.950 --> 43:43.490
bombers are intruding into korean and

43:43.490 --> 43:46.410
japanese air defense identification

43:46.410 --> 43:48.570
zones . And as a result , one of the

43:48.570 --> 43:51.040
reasons why at the end of this month ,

43:51.040 --> 43:53.151
at the Madrid summit , the leaders of

43:53.151 --> 43:55.420
Korea japan Australia and new Zealand

43:55.700 --> 43:57.533
will be participating in need of

43:57.533 --> 43:59.756
something for the first time . What can

43:59.756 --> 44:02.040
your close allies do here in the region

44:02.050 --> 44:04.490
to augment european security and vice

44:04.490 --> 44:08.190
versa . Thank you very much . I didn't

44:08.190 --> 44:10.412
hear the end of that . What could we do

44:10.412 --> 44:13.520
to my question was what can your four

44:13.520 --> 44:15.830
closest allies during the region to

44:15.830 --> 44:18.052
augment european security ? Because the

44:18.052 --> 44:20.219
leaders of Korea , Japan Australia and

44:20.219 --> 44:22.274
new Zealand will be participating in

44:22.274 --> 44:24.386
the NATO summit in Madrid this june .

44:25.090 --> 44:28.000
Well I mean there's first of all um

44:29.490 --> 44:31.620
countries from this region , as you

44:31.620 --> 44:33.990
heard me say earlier , have been very

44:33.990 --> 44:37.750
supportive of the effort uh in

44:37.760 --> 44:41.140
in europe thus far they've provided uh

44:41.150 --> 44:43.150
a number of countries have provided

44:43.150 --> 44:45.210
security assistance and in other

44:45.210 --> 44:47.266
countries have provided humanitarian

44:47.266 --> 44:49.321
assistance and and this is very very

44:49.321 --> 44:52.320
important . You've seen me pull

44:52.320 --> 44:55.350
together ministers of defense

44:55.360 --> 44:58.410
from across the globe quite frankly ,

44:58.950 --> 45:02.590
to focus on uh huh those things that we

45:02.590 --> 45:06.470
can do to continue to help Ukraine as

45:06.470 --> 45:10.180
it struggles to to defend its sovereign

45:10.180 --> 45:12.440
territory and I say struggle . But but

45:12.440 --> 45:14.940
quite frankly we're all proud of the

45:14.940 --> 45:17.650
work that the Ukrainians have done . Uh

45:17.660 --> 45:20.040
they are absolutely inspiring in terms

45:20.040 --> 45:22.490
of uh their their commitment to their

45:22.490 --> 45:24.657
democracy , their will to defend their

45:24.657 --> 45:27.490
land . Uh and I think there's a great

45:27.490 --> 45:30.330
lessons to be learned from uh from from

45:30.330 --> 45:32.780
that for all of us in terms of their

45:32.780 --> 45:35.480
commitment . But but again , I will

45:35.480 --> 45:39.170
host another one of those meetings Uh

45:39.180 --> 45:41.860
in about a week as I go to Brussels .

45:41.870 --> 45:44.870
Uh we started out with 40 countries

45:44.870 --> 45:48.470
contributing uh capability . Uh it grew

45:48.470 --> 45:50.740
the next meeting to 47 countries and

45:50.740 --> 45:53.410
now it's over 50 countries . Uh and

45:53.410 --> 45:55.820
that shows you how how much uh the

45:55.820 --> 45:59.340
global community cares about uh about

45:59.340 --> 46:02.190
this issue and how much uh countries

46:02.190 --> 46:04.134
around the world want want to help

46:04.134 --> 46:06.301
Ukraine in its in its effort to defend

46:06.301 --> 46:08.420
its sovereign territory . Thanks very

46:08.420 --> 46:10.642
much . And next from the U . S . Bonnie

46:10.642 --> 46:12.864
Glaser , if you can put up your hand as

46:12.864 --> 46:15.087
well , it looks like your microphone is

46:15.087 --> 46:17.750
working . Go ahead Bonnie thank you .

46:17.750 --> 46:20.360
Secretary Austin . Um The most

46:20.370 --> 46:22.870
dangerous potential conflict in the

46:22.870 --> 46:25.330
indo pacific is a war in the Taiwan

46:25.330 --> 46:27.497
strait that would arise from a chinese

46:27.497 --> 46:30.300
attempt to seize Taiwan by force . And

46:30.300 --> 46:32.590
President biden has recently said

46:32.600 --> 46:35.760
repeated actually that he would defend

46:35.760 --> 46:38.570
Taiwan if attacked . What are the steps

46:38.570 --> 46:41.200
that the United States , our allies and

46:41.200 --> 46:43.590
Taiwan need to take to bolster

46:43.590 --> 46:46.360
deterrence so that peace and stability

46:46.360 --> 46:48.582
in the Taiwan strait can be preserved .

46:48.582 --> 46:52.300
Thank you . Thanks barney . Um

46:54.280 --> 46:57.890
First of all you've heard me say and

46:57.900 --> 47:00.880
heard number of a number of our leaders ,

47:00.880 --> 47:04.120
senior leaders say that uh we think

47:04.120 --> 47:06.640
that any unilateral change to the

47:06.640 --> 47:09.790
status quo uh is would be

47:09.790 --> 47:13.710
unwelcome and and ill advised . I would

47:13.710 --> 47:16.070
just highlight that our policy on

47:16.080 --> 47:19.350
Taiwan has not changed . We remain

47:19.360 --> 47:22.600
committed to one china policy .

47:22.980 --> 47:26.140
Uh and uh and we also remain committed

47:26.140 --> 47:29.220
to uh providing Taiwan with the

47:29.220 --> 47:31.870
military means to defend , defend

47:31.870 --> 47:33.926
itself in accordance with the Taiwan

47:33.926 --> 47:36.660
Relations Act . Uh And so I know that

47:36.670 --> 47:38.837
countries across the region and across

47:38.837 --> 47:40.950
the globe are really focused on this

47:40.950 --> 47:43.610
issue . But I really , as I said in uh

47:43.620 --> 47:46.390
in my in my remarks there really wanna

47:46.400 --> 47:49.980
highlight that our Taiwan policy has

47:49.980 --> 47:53.340
not changed and from the Philippines

47:53.340 --> 47:55.451
again , put your hand up , Jeffrey or

47:55.451 --> 47:57.340
Danielle , but it looks like your

47:57.340 --> 47:59.451
microphone is working . So go ahead .

47:59.451 --> 48:01.562
Uh thank you for the opportunity . Um

48:01.562 --> 48:03.729
when china started building artificial

48:03.729 --> 48:05.784
islands in the south China Sea , the

48:05.784 --> 48:07.951
United States said that there would be

48:07.951 --> 48:10.750
consequences . China completed those

48:10.760 --> 48:13.950
artificial islands . Um The United

48:13.950 --> 48:16.006
States also said that there would be

48:16.006 --> 48:18.228
consequences if china militarized those

48:18.228 --> 48:20.117
islands , China militarized those

48:20.117 --> 48:23.280
islands anyway . Stationing bombers and

48:23.280 --> 48:26.000
fighter jets . So I guess many of us

48:26.000 --> 48:28.820
here are curious what will be different

48:28.830 --> 48:30.997
in the biden administration's approach

48:30.997 --> 48:33.219
to the south china sea because it seems

48:33.219 --> 48:36.650
that the current policy is not working

48:36.650 --> 48:38.761
or at least not changing the behavior

48:38.761 --> 48:42.450
of china . Thank you . Yes . So some of

48:42.450 --> 48:45.510
the consequences that we've seen is

48:45.510 --> 48:48.120
that we've seen allies and partners

48:48.380 --> 48:52.340
grow closer together and work together

48:52.340 --> 48:55.430
in a more deliberate way on to make

48:55.430 --> 48:57.990
sure that they they have the ability to

48:58.000 --> 49:00.520
protect their interests at our

49:00.520 --> 49:04.020
territorial waters . And I see and

49:04.020 --> 49:07.110
we've seen again in the last couple of

49:07.110 --> 49:09.690
years bonds continue to strengthen .

49:10.070 --> 49:12.510
We've also seen , you know , like

49:12.510 --> 49:16.070
minded countries bond together to , to

49:16.080 --> 49:18.820
create new capabilities . So the effect

49:18.820 --> 49:22.160
has been that , that it's had an effect

49:22.160 --> 49:24.216
that there are some consequences and

49:24.216 --> 49:27.740
those consequences are much more united

49:27.750 --> 49:31.340
uh um region ,

49:31.350 --> 49:35.200
region has focused ever so much more on

49:35.210 --> 49:38.950
on a vision of free and indo and free

49:38.950 --> 49:41.620
and open indo , pacific . So , so I

49:41.620 --> 49:43.287
think I think there have been

49:43.287 --> 49:46.310
consequences . And next from Singapore ,

49:46.320 --> 49:49.950
Lynn , go ahead . Thank

49:49.960 --> 49:51.980
thank you , john , thank you .

49:51.980 --> 49:54.980
Secretary Austin . Um yesterday Prime

49:54.980 --> 49:58.010
Minister Kishida cautioned that Ukraine

49:58.010 --> 50:01.610
today , maybe East Asia tomorrow . Do

50:01.610 --> 50:04.290
you share the Japanese Prime Minister's

50:04.300 --> 50:07.550
concern ? And if so , why would it be

50:07.550 --> 50:11.170
because of a general sense that Ukraine

50:11.170 --> 50:13.730
reminds us that war anywhere is

50:13.730 --> 50:15.470
possible and we should not be

50:15.470 --> 50:19.180
complacent or perhaps because um the

50:19.180 --> 50:21.890
United States has concrete concerns .

50:21.960 --> 50:25.120
That China is like Russia because both

50:25.130 --> 50:28.240
autocracies and will therefore act like

50:28.240 --> 50:31.600
it . I would say , I would think it's

50:31.600 --> 50:34.580
the former that , you know ,

50:35.060 --> 50:37.430
anything is possible . And so , I mean ,

50:37.430 --> 50:39.380
there's a reason that we have

50:40.860 --> 50:43.580
the , you know , militaries to to

50:43.580 --> 50:46.260
defend our sovereign territory . Uh and

50:46.260 --> 50:48.590
so we need to be mindful of the fact

50:48.590 --> 50:51.590
that those uh , those militaries , our

50:51.590 --> 50:53.701
defenses need need the right kinds of

50:53.701 --> 50:57.260
capabilities . Um , I go back

50:57.260 --> 51:00.510
to what I , the questions that I asked

51:00.510 --> 51:04.380
earlier do rules matter ,

51:06.460 --> 51:09.510
The sovereignty matter . You know , is

51:09.510 --> 51:11.620
this rules based international order

51:11.620 --> 51:14.810
important to us ? I think the answer to

51:14.810 --> 51:16.810
that question is yes . I think it's

51:16.810 --> 51:18.977
it's been remarkable to see the global

51:18.977 --> 51:22.780
response as a result of Russia's uh

51:23.460 --> 51:27.110
unprovoked invasion of Ukraine . Uh

51:27.120 --> 51:29.480
there's strong indication across this

51:29.480 --> 51:32.650
globe around this globe that that

51:32.660 --> 51:36.080
countries around the globe truly

51:36.080 --> 51:38.890
value the international rules based

51:38.890 --> 51:41.250
order and adherence to that order . So

51:41.250 --> 51:43.306
I think there's a there's a powerful

51:43.306 --> 51:46.610
lesson there from Stefan . Got the last

51:46.610 --> 51:49.830
question . Thank you . John mr

51:49.830 --> 51:52.580
Secretary , you mentioned game changing

51:52.590 --> 51:55.360
technologies in your speech . Could you

51:55.360 --> 51:57.900
perhaps elaborate what technology

51:57.900 --> 52:00.060
specifically you have in mind here ?

52:00.060 --> 52:02.116
And furthermore , do you foresee any

52:02.116 --> 52:05.640
changes in U . S . Force posture in the

52:05.640 --> 52:07.473
region as a result of these game

52:07.473 --> 52:10.130
changing technologies in the near to

52:10.140 --> 52:13.400
medium term ? Thank you . Thanks Ron

52:13.400 --> 52:15.290
Stefan . No , I won't go into any

52:15.290 --> 52:18.500
detail on on emerging

52:18.500 --> 52:21.190
technologies only to say that , you

52:21.190 --> 52:23.980
know , we continue to invest A

52:23.980 --> 52:26.580
substantial amount of our our budget ,

52:26.590 --> 52:28.701
our defense budget , you heard me say

52:28.701 --> 52:32.280
$130 $230 billion dollars um

52:32.290 --> 52:35.960
dedicated to uh R . D . T . And

52:35.970 --> 52:39.150
research and development . Uh we uh we

52:39.150 --> 52:40.928
believe that in order to remain

52:40.928 --> 52:42.872
relevant we have to make sure that

52:42.872 --> 52:44.983
we're investing in the right kinds of

52:44.983 --> 52:46.872
things to support the operational

52:46.872 --> 52:49.094
concepts that we think are important in

52:49.094 --> 52:51.560
any conflict that will employ in any

52:51.560 --> 52:54.310
conflict going forward . I would just

52:54.310 --> 52:56.470
say that it's important for us to

52:56.470 --> 52:58.526
continue to work with our allies and

52:58.526 --> 53:00.137
partners as we develop these

53:00.137 --> 53:02.081
technologies . Uh and you heard me

53:02.081 --> 53:04.720
commit to doing that in my remarks and

53:04.720 --> 53:07.720
were serious about that . And so but I

53:07.720 --> 53:10.240
don't I want to elaborate on any of the

53:10.250 --> 53:12.770
specific technologies in this forum .

53:12.780 --> 53:14.947
So we've closed this session according

53:14.947 --> 53:17.280
to our clock with two seconds remaining .

53:17.280 --> 53:19.058
I want to thank you very much ,

53:19.058 --> 53:21.169
Secretary Austin and also to say that

53:21.169 --> 53:23.224
we should actually draw comfort from

53:23.224 --> 53:25.336
the fact that you can't say very much

53:25.336 --> 53:27.391
about the emerging technologies that

53:27.391 --> 53:29.391
you might be saying with allies and

53:29.391 --> 53:29.140
partners because it implies those

53:29.140 --> 53:31.362
technologies will be extremely valuable

53:31.362 --> 53:33.418
to their security and to maintaining

53:33.418 --> 53:35.307
peace and stability . In the asia

53:35.307 --> 53:37.307
pacific , I've got 33 people on the

53:37.307 --> 53:39.473
list , a couple of people still waving

53:39.473 --> 53:41.640
their hands , but it's inevitable in a

53:41.640 --> 53:43.862
session like this , especially with the

53:43.862 --> 53:43.160
U . S . Secretary of Defense . There

53:43.160 --> 53:44.993
will be more questions than time

53:44.993 --> 53:47.216
available to answer them . Be reassured

53:47.216 --> 53:49.104
that I will find you for the next

53:49.104 --> 53:51.327
session . But for the meantime , please

53:51.327 --> 53:54.130
thank Secretary often uh for his

53:54.140 --> 53:56.029
plenary address to the shangri la

53:56.029 --> 53:59.270
dialogue . Thank you very much . Mhm