Defense Secretary Ash Carter, during a visit through southeast Asia, voiced concerns about cyber threats from China and called on that country to halt all reclamation and militarization of the South China Sea. Carter on Nov. 3 met with Gen. Chang Wanquan, minister of national defense of the People’s Republic of China, on the sidelines of the Southeast Asian Nations Defense Ministers’ Meeting-Plus in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where he said the US takes no position on maritime disputes in the South China Sea, though he noted the US will defend the principle of freedom of navigation, according to a Defense Departm?ent readout of the meeting. Carter, during a Nov. 4 speech at the conference, said he will visit the USS Theodore Roosevelt on Nov. 5, which is transiting through the South China Sea. “Freedom of navigation and the free flow of commerce are not new concepts,” Carter said. “They’re not theoretical or aspirational goals. In this part of the world, these were rules worked for decades to promote peace and prosperity.” Carter also promoted “appropriate norms of state behavior in cyberspace.” Carter also met with ministers of defense from Laos, Malaysia, Thailand, India, Singapore, the Philippines, and Japan during the meeting.
Work Has Begun to Adapt Qatari 747 to Fly as Air Force One
Sept. 15, 2025
The Air Force has started modifying a Boeing 747 donated by Qatar for "executive airlift," a spokesperson said Sept. 15. President Donald Trump has said he wants to fly the jet as “Air Force One” since new presidential transports, held up by delays, won't be ready until after his term…
