The United States is deepening its military footprint across the Indo-Pacific while pressing regional allies to shoulder a greater share of the defense burden, a senior Pentagon official said in Manila.
Elbridge Colby, US undersecretary of defense for policy, said on Aug. 10 that Washington is not retreating from Asia but "putting down roots" in the region. He called for a "denial deterrence" posture along the first island chain to maintain a favorable balance of power. Colby urged partners to increase defense investment, saying the US seeks "partners, not protectorates", and pointed to Germany's budget increases as a model, calling on Japan to meet a defense spending target of 3.5% of GDP.
Colby also highlighted the "historic modernization" of the US-Philippine alliance, including the operationalization of Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement sites and the rotational deployment of four fast-response patrol vessels to jointly patrol the Philippine exclusive economic zone. He is scheduled to visit Indonesia, Thailand, and Cambodia next.