Singapore, June 3, SPA -- Defense ministers from more than 20 countries gathered Friday for an annual conference on ahost of issues: terrorism, maritime security, North Korea'snuclear weapons development, the U.S. military presence inAsia and China's expanding influence. U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and otherdelegates to the Asia-Pacific security forum arereinforcing alliances at a time when Asia faces some toughproblems, many of them political and economic. While traveling to Singapore, Rumsfeld told reporters thatChina's military is growing as quickly as its economy andis a major buyer of weapons from Russia and othercountries. He also said China's "less free" politicalsystem needs to open up along with its economy. "It would be a shame for the people of China if theirgovernment did not provide the opportunities that freereconomic and political systems permit," Rumsfeld said.--SPA1451 Local Time 1151 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/267179