Singapore, June 12 (FN Agency) The defense ministers of the United States, South Korea and Japan met on the sidelines of a security forum in Singapore to discuss nuclear and ballistic missile deterrence in the region. US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin discussed “nuclear threats” from North Korea, Taiwan, and China’s operations in the East China and the South China Seas with South Korea’s Lee Jong-sup and Japan’s Kishi Nobuo.On North Korea, the Pentagon chief said that its continued missile tests underscored the urgency of the need to deepen security cooperation among the allies.
“Together, we’ll continue to strengthen our extended deterrence against nuclear arms and ballistic-missile systems. And we remain open to future diplomacy — and fully prepared to deter and defeat future aggression,” he said. On Taiwan, Austin reiterated commitment to the one-China policy and stressed that the ministers did not support the island nation’s independence from China but he said the trio categorically opposed any perceived unilateral changes to the status quo from either side.