Pentagon Urges Asian Allies to Boost Defence Spending

Elbridge Colby, the Pentagon's undersecretary of defence for policy, urged Asian allies to invest more in their defence during a forum in Manila. According to TimesLIVE, Colby emphasized that the U.S. is not disengaging from Asia and remains committed to maintaining a favourable balance of power in the region.

The remarks were made at the start of Colby's Southeast Asian tour, which includes visits to Indonesia, Thailand, and Cambodia as reported by Reuters. He assured that America’s vital national interests dictate its enduring presence in Asia despite current preoccupations with conflicts like the Iran war. The U.S. seeks 'partners, not protectorates,' encouraging allies to take responsibility for their own security.

The Pentagon official highlighted the importance of deterrence by denial along the First Island Chain, an area stretching from Japan to Taiwan and Borneo as reported by Reuters. Colby praised efforts by the Philippines, which conducts large-scale combat exercises with U.S. forces annually, and noted similar initiatives in Thailand and Indonesia.

The speech comes amid ongoing territorial disputes in the South China Sea involving China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan. According to TimesLIVE, Colby avoided direct criticism of China's aggression but reiterated U.S. obligations to defend the Philippines if Filipino forces come under armed attack.

A defense expert warned that American bases in Asia remain highly vulnerable to missile and drone attacks from China and North Korea as reported by UPI. Seth G. Jones, director of the Defense and Security Department at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, highlighted the need for improved defenses against such threats.