Over the past decade, the US military has expanded its disaster relief operations in Asia, deploying ships and aircraft to carry out rescues and to deliver food, water and supplies.
US forces deployed in large numbers to the Philippines after Typhoon Haiyan struck the country in November, killing thousands.
Apart from saving lives, humanitarian operations offer Washington a way of cultivating trust among countries that are anxious about China but are wary of entering into an open alliance that might antagonize Beijing, analysts and officials say.
Hagel later led his counterparts on a tour of a new amphibious ship, the USS Anchorage, a vessel equipped with aircraft and vehicles that military officers say are well-suited for both combat and disaster relief efforts.
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