Defense Secretary departs for Asian summit, sparking concerns among countries regarding the South China Sea
US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter Heads to Singapore for Asian Security Summit
US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter has embarked on a trip to Singapore for an important Asian security summit, scheduled to take place on May 31, 2016. The meeting will see defense ministers, military chiefs, and defense experts from various countries discuss regional security issues.
Carter's visit comes amidst growing concerns over China's actions in the South China Sea. In 2015, at the Shangri-La Dialogue, a similar annual meeting in Singapore, Carter criticized China's South China Sea construction and recently warned that China risks creating a "Great Wall of self-isolation."
China has been converting low-lying ocean features and sandy blips into military bases in the South China Sea, according to a Pentagon report. The report also stated that China has added over 3,200 acres of land to the seven features it occupies in the Spratly Islands archipelago.
Countries across the region are voicing their concerns publicly and privately at the highest levels about China's actions in the South China Sea. The South China Sea is a major focus of the summit, as regional neighbors are concerned about China's expansionism.
In addition to the South China Sea, delegates are expected to focus on the growing threat of Islamic terrorism in the region and North Korea's nuclear program.
Ashton Carter and Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani decided to meet in Singapore instead of Japan due to political sensitivity. The meeting between the two was already planned, but scheduling concerns and a recent arrest of a former US Marine in connection to a woman's death in Okinawa played a role in Carter not visiting Japan on this trip.
Local protests have occurred on Okinawa due to crimes committed by US military personnel, dependents, and civilians. In response, Carter and Obama quickly condemned the crime and offered regret.
Before the Asian security summit, Carter will visit an Army base in Arizona. He will be accompanied by senior US military leaders, including Admiral John Richardson and Admiral Harry Harris.
The Shangri-La Dialogue conference in Singapore is an international defense gathering attracting multiple nations for dialogue on security matters. Countries likely to participate include defense ministers from Sweden and Singapore, as well as the United States.
The US Defense Secretary's trip to Singapore underscores the ongoing concerns about regional security and the need for international dialogue and cooperation to address these issues.
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