Washington wants to quickly deploy new intermediate-range missiles in Asia, to counter the rise of China in the region, new US Defence Secretary Mark Esper said.
“Yes I would like to,” Esper said when asked if the US was considering deploying new medium-range conventional weapons in Asia now Washington is no longer bound by the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty.
“We would like to deploy a capability sooner rather than later,” Esper told reporters on a plane to Sydney at the start of a week-long tour of Asia. “I would prefer months ... But these things tend to take longer than you expect.” The new Pentagon chief did not specify where the US intended to deploy these weapons.
“I would not speculate because those things depend on plans, it’s those things you always discuss with your allies,” he said.