The head of the US Department of Defense Lloyd Austin said that the White House does not plan to create an anti-Chinese coalition or an analogue of the North Atlantic Alliance in Asia, writes TASS.
“In a state of war and peace, we are always stronger when we work together with our friends. This defines our approach to the China challenge. No, we do not want an Asian version of NATO and we are not trying to create an anti-Chinese coalition”, Austin said during the forum, which was organized by the President’s Ronald Reagan Foundation.
The head of the Pentagon added that the White House is not asking “to choose between the United States and China.” Instead of creating new military blocs, he said, Washington is working to “promote an international free and stable system.”
Recall that in September the UK, Australia and the US announced the creation of a new security partnership – AUKUS. Under the agreement, Australia will build at least eight nuclear-powered submarines using American technology, as well as re-equip its armed forces with US cruise missiles. The Chinese Foreign Ministry expressed concern about the creation of the AUKUS military bloc.