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US Secretary of Protection Lloyd Austin met with Thailand’s prime minister on Monday as a part of an effort to strengthen what Austin says is Washington’s “unparalleled community of alliances and partnerships” within the area.
Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, who can be protection minister, additionally met Austin final month in Washington.
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Thailand and america are longtime navy allies, regardless of a cooling of relations after the 2014 navy coup that introduced former military commander Prayuth to energy. Monday’s go to was Austin’s first to Thailand as protection secretary.
A US Protection Division assertion issued after the assembly stated Austin and Prayuth “shared views on regional safety points, and mentioned alternatives to strengthen the US-Thai alliance.”
It stated Austin declared Washington’s curiosity in strengthening “interoperability between the US and Thai forces and to assist Thailand’s modernization necessities.”
The 2 males additionally mentioned prioritizing cooperation in rising technical areas, such because the cyber and area know-how sectors, in addition to Thailand’s need for “enhanced protection trade cooperation,” the assertion stated.
Thai media had reported that Prayuth would possible focus on arms procurement with Austin, together with of F-35 fighter plane, however Austin didn’t remark particularly on that in remarks to the media.
Tensions between the US and China have been rising partly over Beijing’s claims to Taiwan and far of the South China Sea, and its growing energy and affect within the area.
In a speech Saturday on the annual Shangri-La Dialogue protection summit in Singapore, Austin stated China’s “regular improve in provocative and destabilizing navy exercise close to Taiwan” threatens to undermine the area’s safety and prosperity.
He stated he was proud that Washington’s “unparalleled community of alliances and partnerships has solely deepened” previously 12 months.
China’s protection minister, Gen. Wei Fenghe, stated on the identical convention that the US is attempting to show Southeast Asian international locations in opposition to Beijing and is in search of to advance its personal pursuits “beneath the guise of multilateralism.”
China over the previous decade has been attempting to increase its affect in Southeast Asia, each via support and funding, together with its “Belt and Highway” infrastructure initiatives and use of its navy and different maritime assets to press its claims to huge areas of the South China Sea.
In a briefing in Bangkok, Austin stated a dialog he had in Singapore along with his Chinese language counterpart was “an necessary step in our efforts to develop open traces of communication” with Beijing’s protection leaders.
“America by no means … shies away from sincere competitors, however we don’t search battle, nor will we search a area that’s break up into hostile blocks,” he stated, in keeping with a protection division transcript of his remarks. “It was an necessary alternative to boost our issues concerning the potential for instability within the Taiwan Strait and to underscore our … long-standing coverage towards Taiwan as unwavering and unchanged.”
Thailand and america had been shut allies through the Vietnam Struggle, and in 2003, Washington designated Thailand a significant non-NATO ally, one in every of about 20 worldwide.
Such standing means the US regards Thailand as a strategic associate, and facilitates some facets of navy help and cooperation. The annual multinational Cobra Gold navy train, one of many world’s greatest, is hosted in Thailand in partnership with america.
Learn extra: China’s protection chief says US has to enhance bilateral relationship
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