Key facts
- The U.S. is reinforcing its presence in the Indo-Pacific region, not disengaging.
- The U.S. seeks partners who will shoulder more responsibility for their own defense.
- A favorable balance of power in the Indo-Pacific is a key U.S. interest.
- The strategy involves 'deterrence by denial along the First Island Chain'.
- Partnership and increased defense investment by allies strengthen deterrence.
The United States is reinforcing its commitment to the Indo-Pacific region, aiming to maintain a favorable balance of power rather than disengaging, according to Elbridge Colby, Undersecretary of Defense for Policy. Speaking in Manila, Colby sought to counter concerns about U.S. reliability, stating that America is 'digging in' to ensure regional stability.
Colby emphasized that U.S. strategy in the region, particularly along the 'First Island Chain' stretching from Japan to the Philippines, requires allies and partners to invest more in their own defense and take greater responsibility for their security. He clarified that this call for increased burden-sharing does not signal abandonment but a desire for 'partners, not protectorates,' asserting that stronger partners contribute to stronger deterrence.
The Philippines, the U.S.'s oldest treaty ally in Asia, was the first stop on Colby's Southeast Asian tour, which also included Indonesia, Thailand, and Cambodia.