U.S. defense chief to visit Asia to discuss next phase of military's Asia rebalance

U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter will start an eight-day trip to Asia Friday, during which he will discuss with allies and partners the next phase of the U.S. military's Asia rebalance, the Pentagon said Thursday.

Pentagon spokesman Jeff Davis told reporters that Carter will meet leaders from more than a dozen nations across East Asia and South Asia to help advance the next phase of the U.S. military's rebalance in the region by modernizing longtime alliances and building new partnerships.

Among a number of planned meetings, Carter will attend the 47th annual U.S.-Republic of Korea Security Consultative Meeting in Seoul, and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Defense Ministers Plus meeting in in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Davis said.

After the visit, Carter will travel to California to deliver a keynote address at the 3rd annual Reagan National Defense Forum at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, before returning to Washington.

In April, Carter said Washington was opening a new phase of its strategic "rebalance" toward Asia and the Pacific, which is "the defining region" for America's future.

The new phase of the rebalancing strategy, which has placed much emphasis on the deployment of high-tech weapons and strengthening U.S. military presence, has triggered concerns that it might fuel regional tensions. Endi