U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will visit South Korea and the Philippines to bolster ties with “critical allies” in the face of growing threats posed by the communist Chinese and North Korean regimes, the Pentagon said Tuesday.
Pentagon press secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters that Austin would meet with “senior government and military leaders” in South Korea and the Philippines in the coming weeks without specifying the travel dates.
“This upcoming trip is a reaffirmation of our deep commitment to working in concert with allies and partners to chart our shared vision to preserve a free and open Indo-Pacific,” Ryder said at a press briefing….