International maritime security faces threat from China, warns US Pacific Command Chief Admiral Harry Harris

Washington : “The Chinese activities in the ‘South and East China Sea’ are strategic. China is destroying the independence of the international marine region using its military and financial might,” warned Chief of the US Pacific Command, Admiral Harry Harris. The rising Chinese military might will challenge the United States in every sector and the US Pacific Command will be under tremendous strain in the future conflict with China, claimed Admiral Harris.

Admiral Harris termed the Chinese moves in the Asia-Pacific as dangerous, while speaking at the ‘Armed Services Committee’ of the US Congress. ‘China is creating instability for its own selfish reasons. For this purpose, China is dominating the neighbouring countries with its advanced military and strong economy,’ alleged Harris. Two years ago, the international court had ruled against China about the South China Sea. Admiral Harris referred to the fact that China had ignored the ruling and had increased its activities in the ‘South China Sea’.

Admiral Harris underlined the Chinese threat saying, “Some people feel that China is taking this opportunity to establish its dominance in the ‘South and East China Sea’. But I don’t think so. All the Chinese activities in both these regions are well thought out and there is a definite strategy behind this. China is making the free and open international marine region extinct, using its military and financial might.” At the same time, he accused China of trying to establish a sovereign right over the marine region with militarisation of the artificial islands created by it in the ‘South China Sea’.

The Pacific Command Chief claimed that the China’s increase in its military might will pose a challenge to the United States in every sector. Admiral Harris reminded of the Chinese missile tests, strength of the fifth-generation fighter jets and the expansion of the Chinese navy in support of his claim. Admiral Harris also referred to the first Chinese naval base in Djibouti, north of Africa.

‘Other than this, China is making huge investments in the areas of ‘Hypersonic Missiles’, progress in the space and cyber sectors and ‘Artificial Intelligence’. If the United States does not act with due consideration of the Chinese speed the Pacific Command will face hardships to win a war against China in the future,’ warned Harris while speaking in front of the Congress. If the United States wants to keep up with the Chinese challenge, it should continue to arm Taiwan. This will increase the arms strength of Taiwan and will create a new challenge for China in the region, suggested Harris.

Meanwhile, Admiral Harris had expressed concerns about the increasing Chinese military might, while speaking in front of the Senate, in the month of February. Admiral Harris had warned that the Chinese military might will pose a challenge to the US domination in the Asia-Pacific and that the US domination in this region will come to an end in the next few years.