Speaking at an annual security forum in Singapore, Panetta sought to dispel the notion that the shift in US focus to Asia was designed to contain China's emergence as a global power.
He acknowledged differences between the world's two largest economies on a range of issues, including the South China Sea.
"We're not naive about the relationship and neither is China," Panetta told the Shangri-La Dialogue attended by senior civilian and military leaders from about 30 Asia-Pacific nations.
"We also both understand that there really is no other alternative but for both of us to engage and to improve our communications and to improve our (military-to-military) relationships," he said. "That's the kind of mature relationship that we ultimately have to have with China."
Some Chinese officials have been critical of the US shift of military emphasis to Asia, seeing it as an attempt to fence in the country and frustrate Beijing's territorial claims.
Panetta's comments came at the start of a seven-day visit to the region to explain to allies and partners the practical meaning of the US military strategy unveiled in January that calls for rebalancing American forces to focus on the Pacific.
The trip, which includes stops in Vietnam and India, comes at a time of renewed tensions over competing sovereignty claims in the South China Sea, with the Philippines, a major US ally, and China in a standoff over the Scarborough Shoal near the Philippine coast.
The South China Sea is a flashpoint but, with about 90 percent of global trade moving by sea, protecting the teeming shipping lanes in the Indian Ocean and the Strait of Malacca is equally vital.
"Maritime freedoms cannot be the exclusive prerogative of a few," Indian Defence Minister A.K. Antony told the forum. "We must find the balance between the rights of nations and the freedoms of the world community."
Overlapping maritime claims - often fuelled by hunger for oil, gas, fish and other resources - are compounded by threats from pirates and militants, delegates said.
COMMENTS (18)
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@Shyam: Not impressive because as you don't want any interference in India's internal matters by any other country or countries thus no any country wants any interference in its internal matters by any one.
@Abbas: Well written, my dear.
@Shyam: Very well replied to someone talking off context without any knowledge. Thanks.
@Ahmer Ali If this is so then why don’t you provide access to US’ troops and why don’t you allot your lands to US’ forces in India whereas you consider USA your friend?
India is a sovereign country, we do not rent out our defense or our army. And we definitely do not let drones operate in our skies.
Let US come and let security improve and let world maritime enjoy freedom without false claim by neighbouring states as their property”.And as far as your this stance is concerned then hand over USA your whole borders’ security’s responsibilities and why are you wasting your trillions of Rupees on your armed forces annually????????
India or any other country does not own International waters and every country has the right of access. How can we deny right of access to anyone in international waters. Please read about international waters before typing so many question marks
South China Sea, Pearl Harbor Sea same thing different location
@Brajanarayan: "The whole World is a village now and why shud one deny US presence in International waters. We dont view anybody as our enemy without reasons and sometimes our best friends paradoxically look as enemies". If this is so then why don't you provide access to US' troops and why don't you allot your lands to US' forces in India whereas you consider USA your friend? "Let US come and let security improve and let world maritime enjoy freedom without false claim by neighbouring states as their property". And as far as your this stance is concerned then hand over USA your whole borders' security's responsibilities and why are you wasting your trillions of Rupees on your armed forces annually????????
@Prasad Babu: The Indians are not also angels and innocent and don't have angelic feelings about Pakistan.
Gawader port of independent Balochistan will be a perfect port to station the 7th fleet. Although Bangladesh is another possibility. These fleets are very slow. It was suppose to arrive in 1971 but now it will come few decades late.
China, owing to a 9,000-mile temperate coastline has many good natural harbours. Its internal dynamism - economic growth - creates external ambitions, but China doesn't see its safeguarding the national interests in the South China Sea as an ambition. So it perceives the U.S. presence in the region as a thorn in its side.
@pakistanibaloch:What is that SOMETHING my dear. Let us not be afraid of anybody. Be brave yaar.
@Ahmer Ali: The whole World is a village now and why shud one deny US presence in International waters. We dont view anybody as our enemy without reasons and sometimes our best friends paradoxically look as enemies. Let US come and let security improve and let world maritime enjoy freedom without false claim by neighbouring states as their property.
@pakistanibaloch:
India's role regarding South China Sea will be to form a block along with all concerned nations (Vietnam, Philippines, Thailand, Cambodia, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei etc.) to counter/confront/negotiate China's sole claim of South China Sea.
@antony: but what will be the role of india if something will happen :/
@ahmer ali, we Indians are more concerned about the Pakistani interference than the American interference.
@ahmer ali, all these years you were commenting hatred against india but once US is angry at Pak, you started to align with india and south east asia as if they are all 1 entity . Learn geo politics there ,there is a whole lot of tension on islands of south china sea each one claims its theirs,( vietnam,phillipines,thailand,china,cambodia,taiwan).
Now the time has come without wasting any more time to be reunited of South East Asian countries especially China,India,Sri Lanka,Bangladesh and Pakistan to stop such these types of unlawful and illegal US' interferences in our internal matters so that we could protect our economical interests and borders for our future generations so that they could live peacefully without any interferences by any countries' of the world esp. USA.
Now the time has come without wasting any more time to be reunited of South East Asian countries especially China,India,Sri Lanka,Bangladesh and Pakistan to stop such these types of unlawful and illegal US' interferences in our internal matters.