Mattis denounces N. Korea

Defense secretary seeks to reassure Asian allies about Trump

singapore» Defense Secretary Jim Mattis sought Saturday to reassure jittery allies in the Pacific about President Donald Trump’s nationalist agenda while delivering a speech that cast North Korea as an “urgent military threat” and cited China for its military actions in the South China Sea.

Mattis, speaking at the Shangri-la Dialogue defense summit, said the Trump administration is encouraged by China’s “renewed commitment” to pressure North Korea to stop its nuclear weapons program, but that the United States will not accept China’s military buildup in the South China Sea.

“While competition between the U.S. and China, the world’s two largest economies, is bound to occur, conflict is not inevitable,” Mattis said. “Our two countries can and do cooperate for mutual benefit. We will work closely with China where we share common cause.”

The comments came after weeks of the Trump administration seeking to stop North Korea from carrying out a success of tests with ballistic missiles and nuclear weapons. But the appearance also marked the defense secretary’s first public remarks since Trump withdrew Thursday from the Paris climate agreement.

Mattis did not mention the Paris agreement in his speech, but was asked afterward by an Australian delegate about Trump’s resistance to several global alliances. The delegate, Michael Fullilove, cited Trump withdrawing from both the Paris agreement and the 12-nation trade deal known as the Trans-pacific Partnership and repeatedly criticizing the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

Mattis responded by saying that “obviously we have a new president in Washington, D.C.” and that “there will be fresh approaches taken.”

But he added that the United States will remain an international leader, and that Americans accept that “like it or not, we are part of the world.” That carries through, he added, despite deep frustration among some of them that their nation has been asked to shoulder at times an “inordinate burden” on the world stage, he said.

Then he paraphrased an old quote often attributed to Winston Churchill.

“To quote a British observer of us from some years ago: Bear with us. Once we have exhausted all possible alternatives, the Americans will do the right thing,” Mattis said, drawing some laughter. “So, we will still be there. And we will be with you.”