Asia-Pacific security forum ‘Shangri-la Dialogue’ kicks off in Singapore

Qi Jianguo (R), deputy chief of the General Staff of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, meets with Samuel Locklear, commander of the U.S. Pacific Command, during the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, June 2, 2013. The 12th Shangri-La Dialogue kicked off in Singapore on May 31. <Xinhua/Then Chih Wey>

Cyber security threats are a threat to not only the United States, but also other countries including China, U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said on Saturday.

“They are threats to China. They are threats to every country. We share those common interests,” the Pentagon chief told an audience that included the defense ministers and military commanders from countries in the Asia Pacific and beyond.

Hagel, who recounted his experience of visiting China in the 1980s as a co-founder of a cellular telephone company, said he saw cyber security threats as an example of the accompanying challenges that come with emerging technologies.

The cyber security threats have been a topic of discussions and speculations recently, with some alleging that part of the attacks came from China. China denied the allegations and said that it faced cyber security threats as any other countries.
Hagel said that it is not as easy to identify who was behind a cyber attack.

“This is also one of the situations that puts you in risk of dangerous miscalculations and mistakes as to who was behind an attack,” he said.

Qi Jianguo (C), deputy chief of the General Staff of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, Philippine Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin (L) and Canadian Defense Minister Peter MacKay (R) attend the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, June 2, 2013. The 12th Shangri-La Dialogue kicked off in Singapore on May 31. <Xinhua/Then Chih Wey>

The approach to addressing such challenges is a common interest approach, the U.S. defense secretary said.

Hagel further outlined the U.S. approach to regional security in the Asia Pacific, saying that the world’s only military superpower, in addition to deploying 60 percent of its navy assets in the Pacific by 2020, has put 60 percent of its overseas-based air force in the Asia Pacific, including tactical aircraft and bomber forces.

Some of the U.S. military forces coming down from Iraq and Afghanistan are also being moved to the region.

While reassuring U.S. allies of its “pivot to Asia,” Hagel also said the United States recognizes that the emerging countries in the region have a huge stake in the regional peace and security.

He said that the presidents of both the United States and China have been clear that the two countries want a closer military-to- military relationship, and that the dialogue between the armed forces of the two countries is steadily improving.

“I’ve noted in my comments we don’t wanna miscalculations and misunderstandings and misinterpretations. The only way you do that is you talk to each other,” he said.

The 12th Asia Security Summit, or Shangri-La Dialogue, is multilateral platform for non-official dialogues involving defense ministers and military officials from countries in and beyond the Asia Pacific region.

This year, the European presence included Catherine Ashton, high representative of the EU for foreign affairs and security policies. The Chinese delegation is led by Qi Jianguo, deputy chief of general staff of the People’s Liberation Army. <Xinhua/NEWSis>