Addressing the event, Carter said the “Rebalance,” or “Pivot,” was a pillar of President Barack Obama’s foreign policy, with his focus shifting away from the Middle East to the Asia–Pacific Region. He conveyed his country’s pledge to continue stepping up cooperation to tackle common security challenges in the region, including the return of hundreds of jihadists from Iraq and Syria. One of the major challenges was China’s operation in the East Sea, he added. Carter is expected to hold separate meetings with all ASEAN defence ministers, including Defence Minister of the Philippines Delfin Lorenzana.
