(VOVworld)-The 11th Asia Security Summit known as the Shangri-La Dialogue opened in Singapore on Friday with the participation of senior civilian and military leaders from about 28 Asia-Pacific nations. During the 3-day event, delegates will discuss the modernization of armed forces, global power balance and regional security structure to combat transnational threats and natural disasters as well as the East Sea issue.

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Addressing the opening session, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono indicated changes in the Asia Pacific, including more cooperation and challenges in regional security. He called for a utilization of strategic opportunities to develop a solid peace structure for new geopolitical cooperation.

Addressing the Shangri-La Dialogue on Saturday, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta underscored the breadth of the U.S. commitment to the Asia-Pacific, noting treaty alliances with Japan , South Korea , Thailand , the Philippines and Australia as well as partnerships with India , Singapore , Indonesia and others. Fleshing out details of the shift to Asia, Panetta said the United States would reposition its Navy fleet so that 60 percent of its warships would be assigned to the region by 2020, compared to about 50 percent now. The Navy would maintain six aircraft carriers assigned to the Pacific. Panetta said the United States would attempt to build on those partnerships with cooperative arrangements like the rotational deployment agreement it has with Australia and is working on with the Philippines . Panetta said Washington also would work to increase the number and size of bilateral and multilateral military training exercises it conducts in the region. Given constraint in budget, the new approach is expected to cost less in than establishment of permanent military base and result in less political opposition from partner countries. He rejects claims that the US military strategy swift is to counter the Chinese role in the region. Panetta urged Beijing to support the system of conventions on the regional sovereignty and resolve conflicts through peaceful means.