Looking Beyond North Korea: Defense Secretary Mattis Has Busy Days Ahead in Singapore 

US Defense Secretary James Mattis will take part in three days of talks with senior defense officials from around the world.

The annual Shangri-La Dialogue will give Mattis and other regional officials an opportunity to look beyond North Korea and address other pressing issues, such as China's recent moves to extend its territorial claims in the South China Sea.

"We're unapologetic about standing with our allies and our partners and ensuring freedoms — freedom of navigation, use of international airspace and to countries making their own sovereign decisions," said Mattis. "We're unwavering in our focus out here." 

Also, the country of India has stepped up its naval presence across the Indian Ocean to balance China's activity.

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to give a speech on Friday and lay out his country's security concerns.

Meanwhile, the Pentagon is expected to roll out a new Indo-Pacific strategy over the next two months, which puts countering China and Russia at the center of a new national defense strategy.

Mattis is expected to hold similar security discussions in the coming days with Singapore Defense Minister Ng Eng Hen and the republic's prime minister, Lee Hsien Loong.

Mattis will attend trilateral talks with Japan and Australia, plus a similar session with South Korea and Japan.

That meeting is expected to deal specifically with North Korea. 

Meanwhile, talks continue with Pyongyang's ex-intelligence chief, Kim Yong Chol, to try and salvage a proposed summit between North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un and American President Donald Trump.