Department of Defense Press Briefing by Assistant Secretary Shear in the Pentagon Press Briefing Room

    MR.COOK: As you all know, Ambassador Shear, the assistant secretary of defense for Asia-Pacific and South Asia is going to come here in just a moment to speak to you about the maritime security report. He's also going to -- at the top, I know there are questions about Korea, going to offer a brief statement about the situation in Korea, but we'd like to focus the briefing itself and the Q and A to the maritime security report.

 

            So with that, I'd invite Mr. Shear up here for his remarks. Thanks for doing this.

 

            MR. SHEAR: Thank you very much, Peter. With regard to the situation on the Korean peninsula, the United States is very concerned by the DPRK's August 4 violation of the armistice agreement and we are monitoring the situation very closely.

 

            We are in close touch with our commanders and with our ROK ally, and the United States remains steadfast in its commitments to the defense of its allies and will continue to coordinate closely with the Republic of Korea.

 

            The DPRK's provocative actions heightened tensions, and we call on Pyongyang to refrain from actions and rhetoric that threaten regional peace and stability, and we are at one with our ROK ally on this.

 

            There's been a story out, I believe today, reporting the suspension of exercise Ulchi Freedom Guardian. I just want to comment briefly on that. That exercise was suspended temporarily, I believe day before yesterday, in order to allow the U.S. side to coordinate with the ROK side on the actual exchange of artillery fire across the DMZ. That exercise has resumed as planned and we are conducting the exercise as planned.

 

            Q: (off mic)

 

            MR. SHEAR: As I said, we suspended part of the exercise temporarily in order to allow our side to coordinate with the ROK side on the subject of the exchange of artillery fire across the DMZ, and the exercise is being conducted now, according to plan.

 

 

            Q: Can we just ask you to (inaudible) on this for a minute?

 

            MR. SHEAR: That's all I want to say on this subject.

 

            Q: Sir, I'm sorry, but I mean you've raised this question and this is worldwide news at the moment. Two things, can you help us understand, and you said it, what you mean by coordinating with the Republic of Korea on this? And are U.S. troops, irrespective of the exercise and whatever status they have in the exercise, are U.S. troops either on the peninsula, in the threat, at any higher state of alert, mobilization, warning, or readiness due to the situation on the peninsula?

 

            MR. SHEAR: Well of course we're always in close touch with our ROK allies on the situation on the peninsula, particularly in the wake of a provocation such as that committed by the DPRK in early August. U.S. forces went on an enhanced status as part of the exercise. They are remaining in an enhanced status as part of the exercise, and of course to ensure adequate deterrence on the peninsula.

 

            Q: What did you mean by coordination with the ROK on the exchange of artillery fire?

 

            MR. SHEAR: Well, when events like this take place, we talk to the ROK about -- to get that facts straight of what happened and -- to discuss what -- how we are going to respond and that's all I want to say.

 

            CAPT DAVIS: We have a limited time here, so I'd like to have everyone present the report that was scheduled to be delivered here.

 

            Q: Can you say from when it resumed?

 

            MR. SHEAR: I'll have to get back to you on that.

 

            With regards to the maritime security strategy, the United States has a comprehensive strategy to uphold maritime security in the Asia-Pacific region using diplomacy, multilateral institutions, commitment to the international law, maritime capacity building, trade, and continued engagement across the region.

 

            The Defense Department plays a critical part in this, and today the Department of Defense is releasing a report that lays out its maritime security strategy for the Asia-Pacific region.

 

            To protect free and open access to maritime Asia, DoD is focused on three objectives: first, safeguarding the freedom of the seas; second, deterring conflict and coercion; and third, promoting adherence to the international law and standards.

 

            With regard to regional developments, the United States takes no position, as we have said before, on sovereignty over competing claims for land features. We have a vested interest in ensuring that the claims are resolved peacefully and without conflict or coercion, however, there are several trends, including rapid military modernization, growing resource demands in territorial maritime disputes, which have the potential to create instability in this vital region.

 

            One notable recent development in maritime Asia is China's expansion of disputed features and artificial island construction in the Spratly Islands. While land reclamation is not new and China is not the only claimant to have conducted reclamation, China's recent activities outweigh other efforts in size, pace, and nature.

 

            The Department of Defense is not standing still in light of the challenges we face in the maritime domain. There should be no doubt that the United States will maintain the necessary military presence and capabilities to protect our interests and those of our allies and partners against potential threats in maritime Asia. We are pursuing a comprehensive strategy focused on four lines of effort. First, we are strengthening our military capacity to ensure the United States can successfully deter conflict and coercion and respond decisively when needed. DoD is investing a new cutting-edge capability, deploying our finest maritime capabilities forward, and distributing these capabilities more widely across the region.

 

            As Secretary Carter has said, the United States will continue to fly, sail, and operate wherever international law allows, as U.S. forces do all around the world at present.

 

            Second, we're working together with out allies and partners from Northeast Asia to the Indian Ocean to build their maritime capacity. We're building greater interoperability and developing more integrated operations with our allies and partners. The department will also implement a new Southeast Asia maritime security initiative that Secretary Carter announced at Shangri-La Dialogue. The initiative will increase training and exercises, personnel support, and maritime domain awareness capabilities for our partners in Southeast Asia.

 

            Third, we're leveraging defense diplomacy to build greater transparency, reduce the risk of miscalculation or conflict, and promote shared maritime rules of the road. The department is actively seeking to mitigate risk in Maritime Asia, both through bilateral efforts with China as well as region-wide risk reduction measures. U.S.-China defense diplomacy has yielded positive results, including a reduction in unsafe intercepts since August 2014.

 

            DoD and China's ministry of national defense concluded a historic memorandum of understanding on rules and behavior for safety of air and maritime encounters during President Obama's visit to Beijing late last year. This MOU currently includes an annex on ship-to-ship encounters, and we are working to conclude an annex on air-to-air encounters by the end of 2015.

 

            Finally, we are working to strengthen regional security institutions and encourage the development of an open and effective security architecture. ASEAN is an increasingly important DOD partner. The department is enhancing our engagement in ASEAN-based institutions such as the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting-Plus.

 

            We are also leveraging informal opportunities to strengthen regional cooperation, such as the first U.S.-ASEAN Defense Forum then- Secretary of Defense Hagel hosted in Hawaii in April 2014. For example, at the May 2015 Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, the secretary of defense announced DOD's commitment to deploy a technical adviser in support of ASEAN's maritime security efforts.

 

            Through these venues, we aim to promote candid conversations about ongoing challenges in the maritime domain and encourage greater information-sharing and cooperative solutions.

 

            Maritime Asia, from the Indian Ocean through the Pacific, is critical to U.S. security. Together with our interagency colleagues and regional allies and partners, the department is focused on ensuring that maritime Asia remains open, free, and secure in the decades ahead.

 

            Questions.

 

            CAPT DAVIS: So we'll take a few questions. If you wouldn't mind, just signal me to let me know, we'll take this question from Lita first, and -- and let me know who else is interested. Go ahead, Lita.

 

            Q: One question on the island construction. There's been some thoughts by senior military leaders, as well as others, that the U.S. needs to take a stronger role in show of force in and around the islands, moving closer to them and making up stronger stands to show the Chinese that the U.S. is not going to -- not going to permit this or condone it. Is that a possibility down the road, in order to sort of send that message?

 

            And my second question is -- and given that -- I understand you don't want to talk too much about Korea, unfortunately, that is the news of the day, and with your broad expertise on this, how do you interpret or believe the U.S. should interpret these latest moves by North Korea?

 

            Do you see this as any greater threat than similar threats of substantial force or war that they have done in the past? Is this anything new or greater?

 

            MR. SHEAR: Well, in response to your first question, our approach to the South China Sea, and the activities of the claimants there, including China, has been robust. We have engaged China repeatedly at the highest levels, urging the Chinese and other claimants to implement a permanent halt to reclamation, construction and militarization of those features, and I stress that that is an approach we have used not only with the Chinese, but with the other claimants as well.

 

            We of course have a very strong and persistent military presence in the region, designed to maintain peace and stability, as well as to support our diplomatic efforts on the South China Sea. We are always looking at other ways of strengthening our support for regional diplomacy and our own diplomacy in the region.

 

            The Department of Defense, as I've said before, is an options-producing institution, and we’ll be moving forward in support of our diplomacy in the region, as we have in the past, and I stress that this is a diplomatic -- primarily a diplomatic issue and a diplomatic theater.

 

            We want these conflicting claims resolved peacefully, and what we do in the region is designed to support peaceful efforts to resolve those claims.

 

            On your second question, I want to defer. I think I've said all I want to say on the subject of the Korean peninsula.

 

            Q: So, in -- in regards to more on the South China Sea, can you speak a little bit to some of our -- our work with the Philippines, especially as recently they came out saying that they're not gonna have the money that they wanted to develop to their -- their maritime defense forces, and they're also dealing with some internal conflict -- (inaudible) -- terrorism occurring frequently.

 

            MR. SHEAR: Well, when President Obama visited Manila in April of last year, he stated -- he reiterated that our commitment to the Philippines is ironclad. And we are in constant and close touch with our Philippine ally with regard to the situation in the region and in the South China Sea, and there should be no doubt, either in the region or among our Philippine friends, about the strength of the American commitment and of the strength of the American deterrence.

 

            With regard to Philippine defense spending, we of course encourage the Philippines to provide adequate funds designed to meet their minimum security needs. But I would add that we hope that, if the National Defense Authorization Act for FY '17 passes, that we also will include the Philippines in a robust maritime security initiative designed to increase the Philippine capabilities as well as those of other participants in the initiative.

 

            Q: Just following up, in terms of the work that they've done on the Subic Accord, I don't know if you're familiar with that, but has that moved forward at all? Because it's -- it's been in progress for a while, but we're still not necessarily maintaining a rotational status of presence in that area.

 

            MR. SHEAR: Well, we're looking at a variety of ways of implementing the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement with the Philippines, including the station of rotational forces in the Philippines, exactly where those forces go has yet to be determined, and we're in the process of looking at that with the Philippine side.

 

            Q: Just a point of clarification on the report and I have a question.

 

            As I understand the report, before last -- on reclamation. Prior to last -- prior to this year, there's 500 acres reclaimed, right, by the Chinese? And then, as of May, both in the China report and Secretary Carter said at Shangri-La, 2000 acres.

 

            And then this report from yesterday said as of June, 2,900 acres, so that's like a -- a pretty big jump in just one month. So, I'm tracking that right, right? That's how --

 

            MR. SHEAR: Yes.

 

            Q: -- that's what you see. And then, you know, as you know, the Chinese foreign minister said no more reclamation as of August 5 or whatever, and then I think an embassy spokesman said yesterday that June, it had stopped.

 

            What's your assessment of these claims and has the Pentagon been able to -- to determine either way whether they have actually stopped reclamation?

 

            MR. SHEAR: We, of course, paid close attention to the Chinese announcement that they would stop reclamation. It's not clear to -- clear to us that they've stopped or if they're finishing up, and we will continue to watch that situation very closely and engage with the Chinese, as we have in the recent past, on the subject.

 

            Q: Wait, does that mean that -- that you're not sure if they're continuing, say, construction on existing structures, or did -- they're still, like, dredging materials and -- (inaudible).

 

            MR. SHEAR: Well, we're looking at existing structure. We're looking at existing features that are -- that -- their reclamation is taking place on features that have long been occupied by China.

 

            Q: The North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un threats and military action to South Korea. And he decided to put time of 48 hours for (inaudible). It had declared war on South Korea in this regard.

 

            What is your counter measures against North Korea?

 

            MR. SHEAR: Well, I've said, I think, all I wanted to say on the subject of the Korean Peninsula.

 

            I would just say that, again, that we're concerned by the situation. We're watching it very closely; we're staying in close touch with our ROK ally. And of course, our commitment to the defense of the ROK is absolutely solid.

 

            Q: Not only for the Ulchi Freedom Guardian exercises, this is like a land mine, they're putting land mine in the DMZ. But why are you, temporarily --

 

            MR. SHEAR: We -- well, I've said that we've suspended the UFG temporarily in order to allow us to coordinate with the ROK side.

 

            On the subject of the exchange of artillery fire over the DMZ, and we are now conducting the exercise as planned.

 

            Q: In the strictly force posture section, you mentioned that the U.S. has new ways of using existing assets to push our force forward.

 

            Can you go into a little more detail about which kind of assets you might be using, how you might be recapitulating them to be used to serve your needs?

 

            MR. SHEAR: Well, we're engaged in two efforts in this regard. First is the effort under the Defense Innovation Initiative to find new technologies and new ways of maintaining the military balance, and ensuring that the U.S. can deter and defeat aggression. Aggression not only in the Asia Pacific, but globally.

 

            Secondly, we are deploying our most capable assets to East Asia. I believe Secretary Gates announced that during his tenure. And that includes V-22s to Japan, two new missile defense capable destroyers to Japan. We will be attaching a new DDG-1000 destroyer to the Pacific fleet. And there are a variety of other deployments of our most capable existing assets to the region.

 

            And of course, as the secretary has said publicly, "If we told you what new things we're doing with what we have, it wouldn't be a surprise."

 

            Q: Perhaps speak to the type of training that was being conducted together with the Japanese self-defense courses during the recent helicopter accident in Okinawa? And how that type of special forces training that was being conducted might fit into this greater maritime strategy?

 

            MR. SHEAR: Well, we train with our Japanese allies regularly, addressing a variety of situations and scenarios.

 

            I don't want to get into the details of exactly what we were doing with our Japanese partners in connection with that, but it's part of a very strong program we have of exercising with the Japanese.

 

            Q: The United States has said, repeatedly, that the United States will sail and fly to where ever under -- allowed in international law. And Secretary Carter said, "The United States does not recognize the sovereignty claim of these artificial islands built by China."

 

            So, my question is, have the United States forces entered the 12 mile -- nautical mile zone of these artificial islands? Or will the U.S. force plan to do so?

 

            That's my first question. The second question is related to the MOU that you mentioned, the air-to-air part. You said it would be -- planned to be done by the end of this year. Is that really much on track, or you think there's some issues -- you know, difficulties that you have to overcome?

 

            Thanks.

 

            MR. SHEAR: The U.S. force is currently present in the South China Sea, and in the Pacific at large, conduct a variety of presence operations in the South China Sea and throughout the Pacific.

 

            We are in the South China Sea on a regular basis. We conduct a variety of presence operations, including exercises with our partners and allies, including Freedom of Navigation challenges, including training flights for B-52 aircraft.

 

            And this is widely known, and Paul, as I said earlier, all of these efforts support our diplomatic efforts in the region. We are looking at ways of further supporting our diplomatic efforts, including military activities. But I'm not going to get into the details of what we're going to do in the future.

 

            We have conducted freedom of navigation -- we are operating in the vicinity of the Spratly, regularly, both at sea and in the air. And we are conducting Freedom of Navigation operations in that region.

 

            But I'm not going to get into the details of what we might do in the future.

 

            Your second question was on -- I want to move to your second question, which was on the air-to-air confidence-building measure.

 

            We announced publicly, in connection with President Obama's visit to Beijing last year, that we would conclude an air-to-air confidence building measure with the Chinese by the end of this year. We're in the process of negotiating that document. I think we're very close, and we will continue to work on the basis of what we announced publicly about the deadline for this.

 

            Q: I'm sorry, I may have missed it when I stepped out.

 

            But did you address the issue of the -- I know the secretary spoke in Shangri-La, asked for everybody to stop the dredging operations and the expanding.

 

            Is that -- is there any sign at all that China is stopping expanding those islands, or --

 

            Q: China has said that it will stop -- that it has stopped reclamation.

 

            I responded that it's not clear to us that they've stopped, or if they are just finishing up, but we are watching it carefully. Of concern to us also, of course, in addition to reclamation is the potential for further construction and the militarization of these features, either by China or by the other claimants. And our position on that is very clear; we called for a permanent halt to all of those activities.

 

            Q: Is there any news from the other claimants, whether they will stop as well?

 

            MR. SHEAR: I think the Philippines have supported our position, and we are working with other ASEAN claimants, in the hopes that they will do so as well.

 

            Q: (inaudible) -- question. In terms of assistance that have been procured, or are in the budget pipeline, that you see as particularly well suited to the Pacific maritime strategy.

 

            You mentioned a couple of missile defense -- (inaudible), but some of the other ones that there are -- (inaudible) -- considered then, the P-8

 

            Give me a sense of the systems out that you see are clearly well suited?

 

            MR. SHEAR: I think the P-8 represents a real increase in capability for surveillance over its predecessor, the P-3, and I think we demonstrated the usefulness of P-3 -- both P-3s and P-8s in the South China Sea, both as ways of messaging and as ways of collecting intelligence and information.

 

            You mentioned the littoral combat ship. I believe the littoral combat ship is ideally suited to a role in the South China Sea. It's fast, it's light, it's very flexible and maneuverable, and it has a 15-foot draft, which means that these vessels can go places where few other U.S. naval vessels can go, and in my mind, that suits it very well for a role in the South China Sea, and I just note that it's our plan to rotationally put LCSs in -- have four LCSs in Singapore on a rotational basis by 2018, I believe.

 

            Q: Are you developing any resupply nodes for LCSs? As you know, it -- it takes a lot of -- it needs to be resupplied. Various modules need to be put on. This is a constant, this is going to be resupplied offshore.

 

            Are you developing nodes, or places that they can sail in and get resupplied?

 

            MR. SHEAR: Well, the USS Fort Worth, and I believe it was the USS Independence prior to Fort Worth, run experimental tours in Singapore. We're looking at what vessels -- what capabilities are best suited to the vessels, given their -- the roles that they are developing, and we're looking at ways of ensuring their support.

 

            But I can't get into any details now.

 

            Q: (off mic) -- have you lost any resources to a (re-shift) toward Europe that had been planned for repositioning to the Pacific -- (inaudible) -- Darwin increases in Australia?

 

            Have you lost funding in the reshifting to Europe by European reassurance initiative issues.

 

            MR. SHEAR: Not that I'm aware of.

 

            CAPT DAVIS: Courtney and then –(inaudible) from Japan.

 

            Q: On the exercise who specifically suspended the exercise? Was it U.S., South Koreans, or was it a joint decision?

 

            MR. SHEAR: I believe our local commander has the authority to do that, and he did so in consultations with our ROK partners.

 

            Q: And -- and the fact that it -- that the exercise has resumed presumably today, I guess, although -- (inaudible) -- get back to us on that. The fact that it has resumed, is that an indication that the tensions that had been there for the past 48 hours are lessened today?

 

            MR. SHEAR: No, it means that -- we use these exercises to heighten readiness, and as a result of the fact that we are conducting this exercise, we are able to communicate and coordinate very efficiently with our ROK partners.

 

            Q: So it's not an -- the resumption, again, because the -- the exercise was suspended and you said to coordinate with South Koreans. So the resumption is not -- there -- there was no -- what I -- I guess, what -- what was --

 

            MR. SHEAR: Yeah, I don't want to parse, why and how we decided to resume that. I think I've said all I want to say on that.

 

            Q: And can I ask you just one other question on your -- on your statement about -- that -- that it was resumed so that you could -- the U.S. could coordinate with the Republic or Korea? Well -- I -- I still don't understand what that means, to coordinate.

 

            MR. SHEAR: Well, it means for one thing, our commanders need to be briefed on the situation. We need to develop the information and brief our commanders, and they need to talk with their ROK counterparts to ensure that we have a mutual understanding of what the situation is, among other things.

 

            Q: I have two questions, one is on North Korea, and another one, the South China Sea, and as for North Korea, the report already said to have been preparing to launch long-range missiles in conjunction with the 70 years' anniversary of the creation of Workers' Party of Korea. So do you have any assessment on the ground about how -- to what extent North Korea has finished their preparations for the long-range missile launch?

 

            And one other one for South China Sea. As you know, the Chinese have enforced an ADIZ -- Air Defense Identification Zone in the East China Sea. So, to what extent are you concerned about the possibility that China will also impose an ADIZ in South China Sea?

 

            MR. SHEAR: On your first question, in general, we're very concerned about the North Korean missile program and North Korean missile capabilities, and we are in constant touch with our ROK allies about the level of threat they pose.

 

            I'm not going get into an assessment of the situation on the ground, but certainly, as I've said, we call upon North Korea to cease provocations across the DMZ and restore calm to the peninsula, and that covers the use of missiles.

 

            (CROSSTALK)

 

            CAPT DAVIS: I think you're out of time here.

 

            MR. SHEAR: Okay.

 

            Q: One more in South Korea --

 

            MR. SHEAR: Thank you very much.

 

            (STAFF): Ok, thanks.

 

            MR. SHEAR: ADIZ, I'm sorry. On the ADIZ. We responded very clearly to the Chinese declaration of the ADIZ in the East China Sea. Secretary Hagel stated that we would not recognize that, and I expect that we would -- we have a similar concern about the possibility of the declaration of an ADIZ over the South China Sea, and I expect our reaction to that would be similar to the reaction we had in response to the East China Sea ADIZ.

 

            Q: Just on the subject of that ADIZ, do you see China increasingly enforcing that ADIZ? Are commercial flights that don't comply with Chinese flight protocols -- are they being diverted at all?

 

            MR. SHEAR: I'm not aware of the diversion of any flights, but I'm not able to give you the details on that right now.

 

            Q: (off mic)

 

            MR. SHEAR: I think I've answered a question on that already.

 

            CAPT DAVIS: Thanks, everybody.

 

            MR. SHEAR: Thanks.