US official revives 'Indo-Pacific' term on Southeast Asia tour

The United States has a military group that watches over the Pacific Ocean and the countries around it.

A few months ago, the government changed this group's name from the US Indo-Pacific Command to the older name, US Pacific Command.

But a senior American official named Elbridge Colby is visiting Southeast Asia, and he keeps using the word 'Indo-Pacific.'

In a speech in Manila, the capital of the Philippines, he said the word at least five times.

He said America cares more than ever about the Indo-Pacific and that the United States is not leaving the region.

He also asked friendly countries to spend more money on their own defense and to work together.

Interestingly, he never mentioned China, even though China is a very big country in that part of the world.

He praised the 'ASEAN way' of talking and working together with Southeast Asian countries.

After Manila, he plans to visit Indonesia, Thailand, and Cambodia.

The United States and some of these countries have had a tricky friendship, especially during President Trump's first term.