Taipei, June 20 -- Admiral Stephen Koehler, the commander of the US Pacific Fleet, stated on Tuesday that the fleet's goal of deterring aggression in the South China Sea includes Taiwan, Taipei Times reported.

Koehler made these comments during the 15th annual South China Sea Conference organised by the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Hawaii. He noted that China has "increased its deployments and aggressive tactics in the South China Sea" while "intensifying its rehearsals for invasion and blockade of Taiwan," as part of its quest for dominance in the region.

The US Pacific Fleet's objective is "to deter aggression across the Western Pacific, in collaboration with our allies and partners, and to be victorious in combat...