Chile will also host the Southern Star exercise this month, when U.S. and Chilean special operations
forces will come together in full transparency alongside regional and global observers to increase our
combined interoperability. We have a strong, trusted foundation of military interoperability, and in our
conversations today, we look to the future.
The joint statement that we signed today will enhance our defense and cooperation, specifically on cyber
operations and protection of Chile's cyber domain. This agreement recognizes the threats to all our
democracies we now face in this contested domain and our determination to address them together.
We also support deeper collaboration in science and technology. We -applaud Chile leadership in this
area, fostering innovative institutions like INNERVYCS Universidad de Chile and Universidad Catolica.
In partnership with all three of the U.S. Armed Forces -- and by the way, we are pleased to invest in basic
research; this is one of only three nations in the world where we invest in that sort of basic research -this innovation forges a path in science and engineering, from improving command of unmanned vehicles
to accelerating military medical research.
Mr. Minister, I appreciated hearing Chile's perspective on improving humanitarian assistance and disaster
relief efforts. We fully support and welcome Chile's proposal to the Conference of Defense Ministers of
the Americas for a regional cooperation mechanism to better enable humanitarian assistance in the midst
of natural disasters.
And all of this, I believe, helps to solidify Chile's global reputation as a trusted security partner, providing,
for example, military education, training and technical assistance in Central America and the Caribbean,
while actively participating in multilevel engagements and exercises across the Indo-Pacific.
Mr. Minister, I am confident in the bright future ahead for the U.S. and Chile. As your poet Gabriela
Mistral wrote, "And we go on and on." And we intend to go on and on into the future alongside you.
Thank you again, Mr. Minister.
(APPLAUSE)
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