U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Wednesday that the United States is focused on bolstering its deterrence against China, but it also needs to counter ballistic missile threats from North Korea and Iran. 

Austin issued the position in a hearing of the House Armed Services Committee on the Joe Biden administration's fiscal year 2022 defense budget request. 

The defense chief said that the budget, which includes more than five billion dollars for the Pacific Defense Initiative, is focused on matching the pacing challenge that the U.S. clearly sees from China. 

The Pentagon chief, however, said that China is not the only challenge the U.S. is facing, adding that the budget helps the U.S. counter threats from Russia, North Korea and Iran as well. 

Austin said that with its emphasis on space, missile defense and more sophisticated sensors, the budget will also help counter the increasing ballistic-missile capabilities of nations like North Korea and Iran.