US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel said on August 26 that his country will continue the re-balancing of its relationship in Asia-Pacific region.

The Defence Secretary told the press after meeting with Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in Jakarta that the region is important for the future of the US as Washington has built friendship and partnership for years.

"We have relationships, we have alliances, we have interests all over the globe. But this area is particularly important to the future of the US ," he said.

This rebalance is not just about security or enhancing military relationship but also focuses on the diplomatic, economic, trade, cultural and educational ties, said Hagel.

Following the meeting with President Yudhoyono, the US Defence Secretary held talks with his Indonesian counterpart Purnomo Yusgiantoro.

They focused on issues relating to regional and global security, including the 2013 Counter Terrorism Exercise, which will be co-chaired by Indonesia and the US this year with the participation of troops from the 10 ASEAN member countries and eight dialogue partners.

Indonesia’s purchase of weapons from the US and cooperation programmes on military personnel training were also on table.

Indonesia is the second leg of his ten-day tour of four Southeast Asian nations, which also brings him to Malaysia , Brunei and the Philippines.

In Malaysia , on August 25, Hagel held talks with his Malaysian counterpart Hishamuddin Hussein, during which the two sides committed to further strengthening military relations towards more cooperation fields.

The US Defence Secretary is scheduled to arrive in Brunei on August 27 to attend the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) Retreat and the second ADMM Plus before concluding his tour of Southeast Asia with a visit to the Philippines on August 29.-VNA