The United States must and will lean forward and stay engaged in the Pacific region, U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld said here Saturday at the fifth Asia Security Summit.

"Security and stability in the Pacific was maintained essentially by a network of bilateral defense relationships between the United States and our allies and partners...But now we see an expanding network of security cooperation in this region, both bilaterally between nations and multilaterally among nations, with the United States as a partner," Rumsfeld said.

He stressed that countries concerned can make the region more peaceful and prosperous in the coming decades by continuing to work together in constructive ways, while mindful and respectful of different perspectives and different interests.

Calling this a welcome shift, Rumsfeld noted that inclusive, multilateral institutions and activities such as the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation provide constructive platforms for dialogues among diverse nations with shared interests.

Regarding China's role in the development of the region, Rumsfeld said that China has a strong economic growth with great potential and the rest of the world including the U.S. has benefited from its success.

He added that it is the perspective of the U.S. government that China is an important stakeholder in the world system, and the two countries have been promoting their political, economic and military cooperation to enhance mutual understanding.

Organized by the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), the three-day Asia Security Summit, also known as the Shangri-la Dialogue, gathered some 250 delegates from more than 20 countries and regions in Asia Pacific, North America and Europe this year.

The participants are expected to exchange views on issues like the U.S. and Asia's emerging security architecture, deploying forces for international security, constructing a regional security community, as well as maritime security cooperation and challenges of force modernization.

Apart from Rumsfeld, other eminent participants include Indian Defense Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Australian Minister for Defense Brendan Nelson, Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Najib Razak, South Korean Defense Minister Yoon Kwang Ung and Singapore's Minister for Defense Teo Chee Hean.

The annual dialogue, which opened Friday night, has been held at Singapore's Shangri-la hotel since its inauguration in 2002.

Source: Xinhua