Security in the Asia-Pacific: Strategic Challenges and Opportunities

Admiral Robert F. Willard will speak on security in the Asia-Pacific region at the New York Institute of Technology's Auditorium on Broadway.

In early March, China’s central government proposed a defense budget for 2011 that increases military spending nearly 13 percent over 2010. As China expands and modernizes its armed forces, it holds an increasingly influential position in Asian-Pacific security. China has been a crucial player in the Six Party Talks on North Korea’s nuclear proliferation during the last decade. Over the last two years, China’s naval presence in the Asia-Pacific has resulted in several skirmishes with nearby nations as well as with the United States. Although regional tensions are far from a boiling point, these incidents may be indicative of a changing security landscape in Asia.

Admiral Robert F. Willard, commander of U.S. Pacific Command (PACOM), will examine the current security situation in Asia in a discussion moderated by National Committee President Stephen Orlins. The Admiral will not only address the region as a whole, but will also focus on China’s critical role in security relationships.

The program will take place on Thursady, April 7, at the New York Institute of Technology’s Auditorium on Broadway from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. To register for the event, click here. For questions, please email events@ncuscr.org. Registration will close at the end of business on Monday, April 4.

Admiral Willard is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy; he received his master’s degree in engineering management from Old Dominion University. He is also an alumnus of MIT’s Seminar XXI, an educational program for senior military officers, government and NGO officials, and executives in the national security policy community designed to give future leaders the advanced analytical tools required to understand and evaluate the myriad factors that affect foreign policy decisions. Admiral Willard has been the commander of PACOM since October 2009. From May 2007 to October 2009, he was commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet and, prior to that, he was the 34th vice chief of naval operations.