US Admiral: China has a “dream of hegemony”, Russia is a “saboteur”
(Baonghean.vn) - The US admiral expected to become the country's next ambassador to South Korea affirmed that North Korea is still the most immediate threat to peace in the Pacific, but China's "hegemonic dream" is Washington's biggest long-term challenge.
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| Admiral Harry Harris (right) during the handover ceremony to his successor at Pearl Harbor on May 30. Photo: CNN |
Admiral Harry Harris on May 30 announced the transfer of authority over the US Pacific Command to Admiral Phil Davidson at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, in a ceremony that also announced the renaming of the US military base in the region as the Indo-Pacific Command.
Harris, who has led the largest military command in the United States for the past three years, emphasized the content that he has mentioned many times during his tenure.
“North Korea remains our most urgent threat, and a North Korea with nuclear capabilities and missiles that can reach the United States is unacceptable,” he said.
But the admiral added: “China remains our greatest long-term challenge. Without the focused engagement and participation of the United States and our allies and partners, China will realize its dream of hegemony in Asia.”
It is unclear what role Harris will play in talks with North Korea about a possible summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Singapore on June 12. Harris’ nomination was sent to the US Senate on May 18, ahead of his expected confirmation.
The admiral was Trump's pick to fill the vacant ambassadorship to Australia, but the move was withdrawn just hours before his confirmation hearing in April.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 helped lay the groundwork for a Trump-Kim summit.
While Harris has been hawkish on North Korea while at Pacific Command, he has also issued warnings about China as Beijing pursues a more assertive military posture in the Pacific and establishes a military presence on artificial islands in areas the US and its allies consider international waters.
Harris remained in charge of the Pacific Command last week, when the agency withdrew its invitation to China to participate in the 2018 Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) military exercise, the world's largest maritime exercise.
US officials confirmed that the decision was made after Beijing recently deployed missile systems and landed bombers on an island in the East Sea for the first time.
In Hawaii on May 30, US Defense Secretary Mattis affirmed: “We should cooperate with Beijing when possible but be ready to confront them when necessary.”
Admiral and incoming ambassador Harris also warned his successors to keep an eye on Moscow, saying Russia was seeking to play the role of “spoiler” in the Indo-Pacific.
“A geopolitical competition between liberal and repressive visions of world order is playing out in the Indo-Pacific,” Harris said. “Great power competition is back, and I believe we are approaching a defining moment in history… Freedom and justice depend on the outcome.”
