Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel will travel to the Pacific next week to convene a meeting of defense ministers from Asia against the backdrop of the massive regional response to the loss of the Malaysian jetliner.
Pentagon press secretary Rear Adm John Kirby said today that Hagel will also stop in Japan and travel for the first time as defence chief to China and Mongolia. He visited Japan late last year.
Kirby said the expansive search for Flight 370 is an example of nations in the region coming together to deal with a disaster, adding that the US is looking for ways to improve its ability to work with other Asia Pacific militaries.
In addition to military operations, there are "many things short of conflict that militaries routinely participate in together, including humanitarian assistance and disaster relief," Kirby told Pentagon reporters.
He said Hagel is "keen to get into a broader, deeper discussion about how we can improve those capabilities as well and interoperability between partners and friends.
