{"id":54323,"date":"2021-12-14T11:19:30","date_gmt":"2021-12-14T11:19:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/smg.go-vip.net\/militarytimes\/uncategorized\/2021\/12\/14\/blinken-vows-more-us-military-might-in-indo-pacific-to-push-back-against-china\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T06:48:21","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T06:48:21","slug":"blinken-vows-more-us-military-might-in-indo-pacific-to-push-back-against-china","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/news\/your-military\/2021\/12\/14\/blinken-vows-more-us-military-might-in-indo-pacific-to-push-back-against-china\/","title":{"rendered":"Blinken vows more US military might in Indo-Pacific to push back against China"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) \u2014 The United States will expand its military and economic relationships with partners in Asia to push back against China\u2019s increasing assertiveness<\/a> in the Indo-Pacific, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Tuesday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blinken said the Biden administration is committed to maintaining peace and prosperity in the region and will do that by boosting U.S. alliances, forging new relationships and ensuring that the U.S. military maintains \u201cits competitive edge<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThreats are evolving, our security approach has to evolve with them. To do that, we will lean on our greatest strength: our alliances and partnerships,\u201d Blinken said in a speech in Indonesia, outlining the administration\u2019s Indo-Pacific plans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll adopt a strategy that more closely weaves together all our instruments of national power \u2014 diplomacy, military, intelligence \u2014 with those of our allies and partners,\u201d he said. That will include linking U.S. and Asian defense industries, integrating supply chains and cooperating on technological innovation, he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Later he signed a series of three agreements with Indonesia\u2019s foreign minister, including one that extends until 2026 an existing maritime cooperation pact that among other issues calls for enhanced joint U.S.-Indonesian naval exercises.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s about reinforcing our strengths so we can keep the peace, as we have done in the region for decades,\u201d he said. He did not elaborate further but the administration made waves earlier this year by agreeing to a pact that will see Australia produce nuclear-powered submarines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blinken insisted that the U.S. is not trying to force countries to choose between the United States and China, or seeking conflict with China. But he laid out a litany of complaints about \u201cBeijing\u2019s aggressive actions\u201d from \u201cNortheast Asia to Southeast Asia and from the Mekong River to the Pacific Islands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t