Southeast Asia urged to develop military links with China, Japan for maritime security

SINGAPORE (AP) - Japan and China are set to play a major role in the maritime security of Southeast Asia, and there is a "tremendous" need for the region to develop a strong military relationship with them, a top Indonesian official said Sunday.

Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono told a regional defense conference that the United States remains the main security provider for the region, a transit point for ships carrying oil and other goods from the Middle East to Northeast Asia.

The ships pass through the key Malacca Straits through which about 30 percent of all global trade and half the world's oil is ferried. The countries straddling the straits -- Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore -- as well as the Philippines and Thailand have traditionally depended on the United States to ensure their maritime security.