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Official says US can focus on 2 theaters — Indo-Pacific, war in Europe

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David Brunnstrom and Michael Martina, Reuters

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="People embrace at a pro-Ukraine demonstration to show support for Ukraine and demand the withdrawal of Russia, outside the White House in Washington, DC, 25 February 2022. Michael Reynolds, EPA-EFE/file" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/overseas/02/28/20220228-usa.jpg"/><figcaption>People embrace at a pro-Ukraine demonstration to show support for Ukraine and demand the withdrawal of Russia, outside the White House in Washington, DC, 25 February 2022. <em>Michael Reynolds, EPA-EFE/file</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>WASHINGTON—The United States will keep its focus on the Indo-Pacific despite the Ukraine crisis, the White House Indo-Pacific policy coordinator said on Monday, adding Washington has been deeply engaged in two theaters simultaneously before, including during the Second World War and the Cold War.</p><p>&quot;It’s difficult. It’s expensive. But it is also essential, and I believe that we’re entering a period where that is what will be demanded of the United States and this generation of Americans,&quot; the official, Kurt Campbell, told an event hosted by the German Marshall Fund of the United States.</p><p>&quot;There is a deep recognition and intention here inside the government, in the White House, to sustain every element of our engagement in the Indo-Pacific.”</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/03/01/22/biden-to-host-southeast-asian-leaders-in-late-march">Biden to host Southeast Asian leaders in Washington in late March</a></li></ul><p>Campbell said coming months would show US &quot;determination&quot; to sustain high-level engagement with the region President Joe Biden has declared a priority for policy and resources in pushing back against China&#x27;s expanding influence.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/02/26/22/us-warship-transits-sensitive-taiwan-strait">US warship sails through Taiwan Strait in ‘routine’ transit</a></li></ul><p>Biden plans to host a summit with Southeast Asian leaders in March and attend a summit of the Quad grouping of the United States, Australia, Japan and India in May. Campbell said Biden would travel, too, for meetings involving Southeast Asian states this year.</p><p>Biden is also sending a delegation of former senior security officials to <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/10/29/21/why-tensions-are-rising-over-taiwan" target="_blank">Taiwan</a> on Monday in a show of support for the island amid fears that China might seek to take advantage of a distracted West to move against it.  </p><p>&quot;You will see a whole range of activities across the board, diplomatically, institutionally . . . investment, and also economic and trade,&quot; Campbell said.</p><p>Mira Rapp-Hooper, a director for US Indo-Pacific strategy at the White House National Security Council, said she was confident that the Russian invasion of Ukraine would not divert from US Indo-Pacific goals.</p><p>&quot;There is a way that the resources we are sending to Ukraine right now are actually quite distinct from what we are trying to do on the Indo Pacific strategy,&quot; she said. &quot;That does not mean that we won’t feel moments of resource scarcity, but it does mean that we can plan both simultaneously.&quot;</p><p>Campbell and Rapp-Hooper said the world was watching closely China&#x27;s position towards Russia&#x27;s invasion, which happened 3 weeks after Beijing and Moscow announced an enhanced strategic partnership.</p><p>The White House has called on China to condemn Russia&#x27;s actions, the largest assault on a European state since the Second World War.</p><p>Campbell said China was in an awkward position, but Washington wanted to keep communication lines with Beijing open.</p><p>He said he believed Chinese leaders &quot;have been concerned&quot; by the solidarity of US allies and partners and also by the &quot;brutality&quot; of Russia&#x27;s invasion.</p><p>&quot;It is undeniable that right now China is occupying an awkward nexus in which they&#x27;re trying to sustain their deep and fundamental relationship with Russia,&quot; he added.</p><p>Campbell said it was too early to tell what conclusions China would draw, but Washington had explained to Beijing in advance the risks associated with Russia&#x27;s invasion.</p><p>&quot;It&#x27;s clear from our perspective that the association, so public and so deep, between Russia and China is indeed quite uncomfortable right now,&quot; he added.</p><p>Beijing has largely steered clear of criticizing Moscow, but has stressed its traditional position on the need to respect sovereignty and territorial integrity and last week abstained in a UN vote on a resolution condemning the Russian invasion.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/02/12/22/us-vows-stepped-up-indo-pacific-position-commitment">US vows stepped-up Indo-Pacific effort in pushback against China</a></li></ul><p>At the same event, the head of Asia policy for the European Union&#x27;s diplomatic service, Gunnar Wiegand, also stressed the need to keep negotiation channels open with China, while the EU special envoy for the Indo-Pacific, Gabriele Visentin, said events in Ukraine would encourage the bloc to step up engagement with Asia.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/01/29/22/taiwan-issue-tinderbox-between-us-china-envoy">Chinese ambassador: Support of Taiwan independence could spark US military conflict with China</a></li></ul><div><em>(Reporting by David Brunnstrom and Michael Martina; editing by Grant McCool)</em></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1945248" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

Washington had explained to Beijing in advance the risks associated with Russia's invasion.

Official says US can focus on 2 theaters — Indo-Pacific, war in Europe

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Official says US can focus on 2 theaters — Indo-Pacific, war in Europe

David Brunnstrom and Michael Martina,

Reuters

Published Mar 01, 2022 04:46 AM PHT

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Biden

Indo-Pacific

war in Europe

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