
US defense chief says China muscling neighbors, plundering resources in Pacific
CNN
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin called out China on Saturday for a series of coercive, aggressive and dangerous actions that threaten stability around Asia and vowed the United States would stand by partners to resist any pressure.
"Indo-Pacific countries shouldn't face political intimidation, economic coercion, or harassment by maritime militias," Austin said in a keynote speech to the Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia's premier defense conference.
"The PRC's moves threaten to undermine security, and stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific," Austin said, using the acronym to refer to the country by its official name, the People's Republic of China.

As a shrinking number of Transportation Security Administration agents work to keep hourslong security lines moving despite not being paid, President Donald Trump stepped into the fray Saturday, announcing he will send Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers to airports by Monday if Congress doesn’t agree to a plan to end the partial government shutdown.












