Frank Kendall, former Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, testified in January 2015, that U.S. superiority in some key warfare domains is at risk including United States surface fleet and forward bases in the Pacific and the United States ability to maintain air dominance. . (5) Continued United States engagement in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region is fundamental to maintaining security and stability in the region, and the United States should expand and optimize cooperative relationships with and among allies and partners in the region, including Japan, South Korea, Australia, the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, Taiwan, New Zealand, India, Vietnam, Mongolia, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Burma. (6) The United States Armed Forces continue to work closely with the militaries of these and other regional countries to promote peace, uphold the rules-based order, and deter acts of aggression. (7) Secretary of Defense James Mattis, in his confirmation hearing in January 2017, stated that the Pacific theater remains a priority . In February 2017, Secretary of Defense Mattis stated that in cooperation with our allies and partners, the United States seeks to ensure a peaceful, secure, and free Asia-Pacific region , and reaffirmed the importance of the bilateral relationships of the United States with Japan and South Korea during his visit to Tokyo and Seoul. (8) In March 2017, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson emphasized the importance of strengthening the relationships of the United States with Japan and South Korea, addressing North Korea’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs through trilateral cooperation, building a shared commitment to the rule of law and international norms, and promoting stability and prosperity throughout the region. (9) In June 2016, then-Secretary of Defense Ash Carter said at the Shangri-La Dialogue that the United States will stand with regional partners to uphold core principles, like freedom of navigation and overflight, and the peaceful resolution of disputes