Gates tries to calm Asian allies

In his first major address on Asian defense issues since becoming Pentagon chief, Gates emphasized that the U.S. military remained heavily involved in a wide range of missions throughout the region, including maritime interdiction, counter-proliferation and humanitarian efforts. He pledged that the U.S. would continue to live up to its commitments in Asia, regardless of the course of conflicts in the Middle East.

"Some people have suggested that the United States may be neglecting Asia, because we have been too focused on Iraq, Afghanistan and other hot spots," Gates told an annual gathering of Asian defense officials. "In reality, far from neglecting Asia, the U.S. is more engaged than ever before."

Gates' speech, however, was as notable for what was not included as for what was. In the past, Gates' predecessor Donald H. Rumsfeld had used this annual gathering to berate China over its failure to explain the reasons behind its military buildup.

A particularly tendentious 2005 address by Rumsfeld led to an extraordinary exchange with a mid-level Chinese official in the audience, a public spat that U.S. officials clearly relished as a way to turn up the heat on Beijing.

But officials traveling with Gates said he intentionally shied away from focusing on the Chinese military buildup. They noted that they had decided to let the recently released Pentagon report evaluating the buildup "speak for itself."

"We've said what we can say in the China military power report," one senior Defense official said, speaking on condition of anonymity when discussing internal Pentagon deliberations. "We don't see any reason in getting bogged down in any discussion about that report in this meeting."

In his formal remarks, Gates mentioned China only in passing at the end of his address, where he reiterated U.S. concerns about the "opaqueness" of Beijing's military intentions. But he also said the level of bilateral military-to-military contacts was increasing, and praised the two countries' growing economic relationship.

"I believe there is reason to be optimistic about the U.S.-China relationship," he said.