US defense exec to visit Phl

MANILA, Philippines - United States Department of Defense Deputy Secretary Ash Carter will be in the Philippines next week for a consultation meeting on matters of common security interests in the Asia-Pacific region.

Carter will also visit Japan, South Korea and Indonesia, the United States embassy said yesterday.

The four-nation visit will take place between today and March 21.

Carter is expected to discuss security issues with his counterparts, including the massive deployment of US warships in the Asia-Pacific region dubbed as Pivot.

The US Pivot is seen as a major move to check on the growing influence and aggressiveness of China in laying its territorial claim over the South China Sea.