US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said that China is the only country that increasingly has the will and ability to reshape its region and the international system to suit its "authoritarian" orientation, which Washington will never allow, he said.
He stressed - during a speech before the "Reagan" National Defense Forum - that the United States is working to acquire a "more deadly" military situation in the Indian and Pacific Oceans region as part of efforts to ensure that China does not dominate the region in the way it intends to do.
He said that the United States will "preserve and sharpen our combat advantages in wars" and strengthen the presence of its forces "to acquire a military position that is more lethal and capable of movement and deployment."
He referred to the stealth bomber (B-21), which was revealed the day before yesterday, Friday, as an essential element in the deterrence strategy.