Washington's No. 2 diplomat says the United States sees the need to formalize a NATO-like joint structure for security in the Indo-Pacific region.
During a telephonic press briefing Tuesday, Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun dismissed views that the U.S. may be seeking to expand the so-called Quad grouping, which also involves Australia, India and Japan, but said it would welcome any country committed to defending a free and open region.
The U.S. has repeatedly called on other nations to join the group that it earlier claimed would counter "aggressions" from the Chinese communist party in all domains.
The group's emphasis on China has left many American allies including South Korea reluctant to join, since Beijing is one of the largest economic and trading partners to its Asian neighbors.
Biegun also made clear the U.S. seeks to build a multilateral structure for joint security.
<Photo: Yonhap News>
