"The rise of China has created both challenges and opportunities to the world. We have to make sure that its power is integrated with international interests," Cohen said.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The United States` presence in Asia is meant to secure stability in the region, a visiting former US defense secretary said.

"ASEAN has a population of 645 million and high GDP (Gross Domestic Product). The region is also the USA`s 4th largest trading partner so far. There`s a great potential for growth in ASEAN and the region has become more important to the world during the past years. We are here to secure the stability of this region because the world depends on it," William Cohen, former US secretary of defense, said here on Monday in a public lecture at the ASEAN Secretariat Office in Jakarta titled The US-ASEAN Relations.

Cohen who is now vice chairman of the research institute US-ASEAN Strategy Commission also spoke about China`s rising influence in the world.

"The rise of China has created both challenges and opportunities to the world. We have to make sure that its power is integrated with international interests," he said.

Cohen dismissed concerns that the US` new policy of refocusing on Asia was intended to contain China. "We don`t want to confront any country. We want to have close relations with emerging countries in Asia such as the ASEAN member states, India and Japan while at the same time supporting stability in the region," he said.

Earlier, US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta as quoted by the Associated Press said the US was not anticipating military conflict in Asia, but that it had become so bogged down in Iraq and Afghanistan after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks that it had missed chances to improve its strategic positions elsewhere.

Panetta said the Asia-Pacific region was growing in importance for the US economy and national security, so the nation needed to maintain "our military`s technological edge and freedom of action".

The new strategy also identified India as a long-term strategic partner that can serve as a regional economic anchor and provider of security in the Indian Ocean region. He said the US would try to maintain peace on the Korean peninsula by working with allies and others in Asia to defend them against North Korean provocations.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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