China is Asia's biggest threat: US admiral

WASHINGTON: The US admiral expected to become the country’s next ambassador to South Korea says North Korea remains the most imminent threat to peace in the Pacific but China’s “dream of hegemony” is Washington’s biggest long-term challenge, reports CNN. Adm. Harry Harris spoke Wednesday as he turned over the reins of the US Pacific Command to Adm. Phil Davidson at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, in a ceremony that also announced the rebranding of US military assets in the region to the US Indo-Pacific Command.

Harris, who has been at the helm of the most expansive US military command for three years, hammered home points he’s made repeatedly during his term.

“North Korea remains our most imminent threat and a nuclear-capable North Korea with missiles that can reach the United States is unacceptable,” he said. However he added, “China remains our biggest long-term challenge. Without focused involvement and engagement by the United States and our allies and partners China will realize its dream of hegemony in Asia.”

Responding to Harris’s comments Thursday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said the admiral was “obsessed with hegemony” because he fears others are trying to steal it from the US. “The US military presence in the South China Sea far exceeds the total of China and other coastal countries,” Hua said, calling US accusations of militarization “like a thief crying, ‘Stop, thief!’”

China’s deployments and building programs in the South China Sea are part of its self-defense, Hua added. Harris spoke alongside US Secretary of Defense James Mattis, who stopped off in Hawaii on his way to Singapore for a high-profile security forum, where issues relating to the South China Sea and North Korea will be discussed.

It is unclear what role Harris will play in talks with Pyongyang leading up to a hoped-for summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korea leader Kim Jong Un in Singapore on June 12. Harris’ nomination went to the Senate on May 18 ahead of his expected confirmation.

The admiral had been Trump’s choice for to fill the vacant ambassador post in Australia, but that nomination was pulled hours before his confirmation hearing in April. Sources told CNN at the time that the move was the idea of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who has been instrumental in laying the groundwork for a Trump-Kim summit.

China is Asias biggest threat: US admiral

WASHINGTON: The US admiral expected to become the countrys next ambassador to South Korea says North Korea remains the most imminent threat to peace in the Pacific but Chinas dream of hegemony is Washingtons biggest long-term challenge, reports CNN. Adm. Harry Harris spoke Wednesday as he turned over the reins of the US Pacific Command to Adm. Phil Davidson at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, in a ceremony that also announced the rebranding of US military assets in the region to the US Indo-Pacific Command. Harris, who has been at the helm of the most expansive US military command for three years, hammered home points hes made repeatedly during his term. North Korea remains our most imminent threat and a nuclear-capable North Korea with missiles that can reach the United States is unacceptable, he said. However he added, China remains our biggest long-term challenge. Without focused involvement and engagement by the United States and our allies and partners China will realize its dream of hegemony in Asia. Responding to Harriss comments Thursday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said the admiral was obsessed with hegemony because he fears others are trying to steal it from the US. The US military presence in the South China Sea far exceeds the total of China and other coastal countries, Hua said, calling US accusations of militarization like a thief crying, Stop, thief! Chinas deployments and building programs in the South China Sea are part of its self-defense, Hua added. Harris spoke alongside US Secretary of Defense James Mattis, who stopped off in Hawaii on his way to Singapore for a high-profile security forum, where issues relating to the South China Sea and North Korea will be discussed. It is unclear what role Harris will play in talks with Pyongyang leading up to a hoped-for summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korea leader Kim Jong Un in Singapore on June 12. Harris nomination went to the Senate on May 18 ahead of his expected confirmation. The admiral had been Trumps choice for to fill the vacant ambassador post in Australia, but that nomination was pulled hours before his confirmation hearing in April. Sources told CNN at the time that the move was the idea of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who has been instrumental in laying the groundwork for a Trump-Kim summit.