BEIJING — The top U.S. diplomat overseeing arms sales said Monday shewould be promoting American weaponry at the largest air show in Asia, whereChina’s military footprint and political influence are surging.

A large U.S. delegation at the Singapore Air Show is doing “everything wecan” to encourage Southeast Asian governments to purchase U.S.-made armslike the F-35 fighter jet, Ambassador Tina Kaidanow told reporters in atelephone briefing. She repeatedly sought to dispel the notion that U.S.influence was in retreat.

The Trump administration in December outlined a new national securitystrategy that placed an emphasis on countering China’s rise. The strategycalls for reinforcing the U.S. presence in the Indo-Pacific region, whereBeijing and Washington have accused each other of stoking a dangerousmilitary buildup while vying for influence.

Washington has been seeking to woo countries like Vietnam, a former foe,with arms sales and transfers at a time when China has bolstered itsterritorial claims in the South China Sea with extensive constructionprojects on man-made islands.

Kaidanow said the transfer last year of a coast guard cutter to Vietnam,which often contests China’s maritime claims, was an “incredible positive.”

“They will be able to use our equipment for maritime domain awareness, formaritime security … that’s important for them,” said Kaidanow, whovisited Hanoi last week shortly after U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, ona visit to Vietnam, announced plans to send an aircraft carrier to thecountry in a show of solidarity.

“Our hope is they will consider American companies (not only) in defensebut in other sectors as well,” Kaidanow said, referring to Vietnam.

China’s assertive military posture in the South China Sea has concernedseveral Southeast Asian countries with rival territorial claims, butBeijing, wary of being encircled by a U.S.-led alliance, has at the sametime offered infrastructure investment across the region as a way ofwinning friends. China has shipped weapons to countries like thePhilippines, which once decried China’s maritime claims but has recentlydrawn closer to Beijing.

Kaidanow said she will meet with officials from Japan, Canada and severalSoutheast Asian countries to discuss arms purchases at the trade show inthe coming days and argued that Southeast Asian countries should considerpurchasing U.S. arms “not just as a matter of security but also regionalbalance.”

U.S. warships will maintain their freedom-of-navigation operations in SouthChina Sea waters claimed by China, she said, adding: “We will absolutelycontinue the pace.”

China condemns the U.S. operations as “reckless” provocations that raisethe risk of military confrontation between the two powers. China stronglyprotested in January when the USS Hopper destroyer sailed within 12nautical miles of Scarborough Shoal, which China disputes with thePhilippines.

In the aftermath, Chinese state media referred to the incident to arguethat China should speed up its deployments in the busy waterway, where ithas built hangers, runways and military infrastructure. – Agencies