'Russia, China pose challenge to US in Indo-Asia Pacific'

A "revanchist" Russia and an increasingly "assertive" China pose challenge to the US in the Indo-Asia Pacific region, a top American Commander has said.

At the same time, he said the US does not want any conflict with these nations.

"No one, including me, wants conflict. I've said often that I prefer cooperation so that we can collectively address our shared security challenges," Admiral Harry Harris, Commander of US Pacific Command or PACOM said.

In his address on "The View from the Indo-Asia Pacific" Harris said the US is being challenged in the Indo-Asia Pacific "by a revanchist Russia and an increasingly assertive China" neither of whom he said seem to respect the very international agreements they have signed on for.

"Both Moscow and Beijing have choices to make. They can choose to disregard the rules-based security order that has served all nations including them so well for decades. Or they can contribute to it as responsible stakeholders. I hope for the latter, but I have to be prepared for the former," he said.

"But I've also been loud and clear that we won't allow the shared domains to be closed down unilaterally. I said this before, but it's worth repeating now we'll cooperate where we can, but we'll be ready to confront where we must," Harris said.

According to the PACOM Commander North Korea and ISIS are the other two challenges to the US Security in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.

"ISIS is a threat that must be destroyed. The main focus of our coalition's military effort, and rightfully so, is in the Middle East and North Africa," he said.

"But as we eliminate ISIS in these areas, some of the surviving fighters will likely repatriate to their home countries in the Indo-Asia Pacific. And what's worse is they will be radicalised and weaponised. So we must eradicate this disease before it metastasises in the PACOM area of responsibility," he asserted.

North Korea, Harris said distinguishes itself as the only nation to have tested nuclear weapons in this century.

"Combining nuclear warheads with ballistic missile technology in the hands of a volatile leader like Kim Jong-Un is a recipe for disaster. That's North Korea as it is," he said.

An aggressive weapons test schedule, as demonstrated by yet another ballistic missile launch earlier this month, moves North Korea closer to its stated goals.

"I must assume that Kim Jong-Un's claims are true his aspirations certainly are. So I take him at his word and that should provide all of us a sense of urgency to ensure PACOM is prepared to fight tonight with the best technology of any force on the planet," Harris said.

(This article has not been edited by DNA's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)