Kerry not sure of need for military build-up in Asia
Senator set to be the new US secretary of state urges ‘fresh thinking’ and says he would seek to broaden America’s relationship with China
Senator John Kerry, the nominee to be America’s top diplomat, backs closer ties with China and is not convinced the US needs to increase its military presence in the Asia-Pacific region.
Speaking at his confirmation hearing to succeed Hillary Rodham Clinton as secretary of state, Kerry called for “fresh thinking” on Thursday as he outlined his foreign policy agenda and plans for relations with China, Iran and the Middle East.
The Obama administration has made a stronger presence in Asia a priority – a move welcomed by nations in the region unnerved by China’s growing power and assertiveness, but which has angered Beijing.
Kerry was asked how the US could ramp up its military presence without being sucked into territorial disputes between China and its neighbours that have raised tensions in East Asia. His response sounded like a departure from the policy of the Obama administration.
“I’m not convinced that increased military ramp-up is critical yet,” Kerry said. “That’s something I’d want to look at very carefully.
“We have a lot more forces out there than any other [nation] in the world, including China, today,” he said, noting the president’s additional deployment of marines to Australia over the past year. “You know, the Chinese look at that and say, ‘What’s the United States doing? They trying to circle us? What’s going on?’”
