US Secretary of Defense wants to rapidly deploy new missiles to Asia

The Pentagon's new leader did not specify where the United States intended to deploy those weapons.

Sydney:

Washington wants to rapidly deploy new intermediate-range missiles in Asia to counter China's rise in the region, US Defense Secretary Mark Esper announced on Saturday.

"Yes, I would like to," Esper said when asked if the United States was considering deploying new medium-range conventional weapons in Asia. Washington is no longer bound by the INF Treaty.

"We would like to deploy a capability as soon as possible," Esper told reporters on a flight to Sydney at the start of a week-long Asian Tour. "I'd prefer months ... But these things tend to take longer than expected."

The Pentagon's new leader did not specify where the United States intended to deploy those weapons.

"I wouldn't speculate because it all depends on the plans, these are subjects you always discuss with your allies," he said.

Washington withdrew from the INF Treaty on Friday after accusing Russia of violating it for years.

Under the 1987 pact signed by US President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, Washington and Moscow agreed to limit the use of conventional and nuclear missiles at medium range (range 500-5000 km).

But its collapse had been predicted for months as relations between Russia and the United States deteriorated.

Washington is now free to compete with China, whose arsenal is largely made up of weapons prohibited by the INF Treaty, of which Beijing was never a signatory.

Esper said that China should not be surprised by American plans.
"This should not come as a surprise, as we have been talking about it for some time now," he said.