The U.S. under secretary of defense's speech called for the United States to maintain its engagement in Asia and for allies to share more of the defense burden. He again emphasized the policy of maintaining a favorable balance of power in the Indo-Pacific.
In a speech in Manila, U.S. Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby said the United States had no intention of reducing its engagement in Asia and would continue working steadily to secure a favorable balance of power in the most important region. He again demonstrated the U.S. commitment to the region and sought to dispel concerns about its reliability.
He called on partner countries to take greater responsibility for their own defense and said increased investment by allies was essential to strengthening deterrence. He emphasized that the United States would not defend the region unilaterally, but would strengthen cooperation with its partners.
He said establishing a deterrence posture capable of preventing an adversary's advance along the First Island Chain was important to an effective balance of power, and again rejected a structure that depended solely on the U.S. military. He indicated that allies and partners would be expected to take on larger roles and increase their own defense investment going forward.
The Philippines is the first country on Elbridge Colby's tour of Southeast Asia, and he is scheduled to visit Indonesia, Thailand and Cambodia next.