[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin stated that with the end of the Afghanistan war, the focus will shift to responding to security challenges posed by China and to security in the Indo-Pacific region.
On the 1st (local time), at a press conference held at the Department of Defense, Secretary Austin said, "We have completed the historic evacuation operation in Afghanistan and finished the final mission," adding, "We must continue to grapple with security challenges from China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea." He further emphasized, "We will keep our eyes on addressing China's security challenges, seizing new opportunities in the Indo-Pacific and other regions, deepening ties with new partners, and defending democracy."
His remarks are interpreted as reaffirming that following the completion of the Afghanistan withdrawal, U.S. defense policy will focus on the Indo-Pacific and East Asia regions to contain China. Earlier, President Biden also stressed in a national address regarding the Afghanistan withdrawal that "we must confront serious competition with China, Russia, nuclear proliferation, cyberattacks, and other new challenges."
At the press conference alongside Secretary Austin, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley suggested the possibility of coordination with the Taliban in counterterrorism efforts, stating, "It is possible for the U.S. to coordinate with the Taliban to respond to terrorism such as the Islamic State (IS), which carried out a suicide bombing near Kabul airport in Afghanistan that killed 13 U.S. soldiers."
However, he drew a clear line that such cooperation does not equate to formally recognizing the Taliban as a legitimate government. Chairman Milley emphasized, "It is difficult to predict how the future of the Taliban, which has taken control of the Afghan regime, will unfold," adding, "The Taliban is a 'ruthless group,' and we need to watch closely to see if they truly change."
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