A top U.S. military commander for Asia and Pacific says there is no desire to build new military bases in the region.
Admiral Robert Willard, head of the U.S. Pacific Command, told reporters in Washington Friday that the military's goal is to have a network of places where American forces can visit on rotation. But he said the military wants to avoid the costly maintenance of bases.
Willard also said the United States has great national interest in the Asia-Pacific region and has many strategic partners there. But he called for improved military relations with China.
“There's no question given the economic import, the very complex nature of the Asia-Pacific theater, whether we're talking South Asia, Southeast Asia, Northeast Asia or Oceania, that there is tremendous and vital national interests there. And after all, we have five treaty allies and many strategic partners there and we all are relying on one another. And for countries like China, we are trying to improve those relations.”
China has stalled military exchanges with Washington to protest U.S. arms sales to Taiwan. The U.S. law requires providing Taiwan with means of self-defense. China claims the island is a part of its territory and condemns the U.S. – Taiwan arms deals.
Beijing last year upset several neighbors, including Malaysia, Vietnam and the Philippines by claiming exclusive territorial rights in an important area of the South China Sea. The Philippines has asked for U.S. support in the dispute. China has insisted on discussing the issue bilaterally with its neighbors.
Admiral Willard said the United States wants to help the Philippines to become self-sufficient as a maritime power.
The United States has repeatedly called for closer defense cooperation with China as a way to avoid unintended maritime incidents in Pacific waters.
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SOUNDBITES (audio only verisons saved in House Shared Friday folder in Dalet 5.1):
1. Admiral Robert Willard, head of the U.S. Pacific Command (English):
“There is no desire nor a view right now that the U.S. is seeking basing options anywhere in the Asia-Pacific theater.”
2. Admiral Robert Willard, head of the U.S. Pacific Command (English):
“When we look at Southeast Asia and South Asia the pressure is on the Pacific Command to deploy and to sustain forces there day-today, so initiatives such as Australia offered or such as Singapore offered to allow us to rotate forces from locations that are closer and more adjacent to Southeast Asia affords Pacific Command the opportunity to more conveniently have its presence there and felt and not rely so terribly much on sustainment at great cost.”
3. Admiral Robert Willard, head of the U.S. Pacific Command (English), on increased military cooperation with the Philippines:
“We would welcome discussions with the Philippines along those lines but is no aspiration for bases in Southeast Asia.”
4. Admiral Robert Willard, head of the U.S. Pacific Command (English):
“We are interested in the Philippines in a maritime sense becoming increasingly self-sufficient and we'll help were we can.”
5. Admiral Robert Willard, head of the U.S. Pacific Command (English), on military relations with China:
“The military relationship at that strategic level has been sustaining itself. Advancing the military relationship in other ways, at the operational and tactical level, getting our two militaries more acquainted with one another through operations or through counterpart visits has not advanced. And part of that is a difference in philosophy of what mil to mil should consist of between out two countries. And part of it is the trust factor. And part of it is what China views as impediments to advancing the military relationship.”
6. Admiral Robert Willard, head of the U.S. Pacific Command (English), on military relations with China:
“I'm not satisfied the military relationship is where it needs to be.”
7. Admiral Robert Willard, head of the U.S. Pacific Command (English):
“There's no question given the economic import, the very complex nature of the Asia-Pacific theater, whether we're talking South Asia, Southeast Asia, Northeast Asia or Oceania, that there is tremendous and vital national interests there. And after all, we have five treaty allies and many strategic partners there and we all are relying on one another. And for countries like China, we are trying to improve those relations.”
