Washington, Oct 27 (PTI): China is the only competitor to the United States which has both the intent to reshape the international order and increasingly the power to do so, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Thursday.

“The PRC (People's Republic of China) is the only competitor out there with both the intent to reshape the international order and increasingly the power to do so,” Austin told reporters after releasing the National Defense Strategy of the Biden Administration which identifies China as a “pacing challenge”.

“Now, my team and I have been laser-focused on this issue since day one, including the China Task Force that I stood up, which produced a range of recommendations to focus the entire department on the China challenge,” he said.

Austin also said that the National Defense Strategy has identified Russia as an acute threat.

“At the same time the NDS bluntly describes Russia as an acute threat. We chose the word ‘acute’ carefully. Unlike China, Russia can't systemically challenge the United States over the long term,” he said. “But Russian aggression does pose an immediate and sharp threat to our interests and values, and Putin's reckless war of choice against Ukraine, the worst threat to European security since the end of World War II, has made that very clear for the whole world,” Austin said.

According to Austin, the NDS is also clear-eyed about other serious threats, and that includes North Korea's expanding nuclear and missile capabilities.

“Meanwhile, Iran is moving ahead on its nuclear program, supporting dangerous armed proxies and even exporting drones that Russia is using to terrorize Ukrainian civilians. The US remains vigilant against the ongoing threat from global terrorist networks, as well as from climate change, pandemics and other dangers that don't respect borders,” he said.

“The NDS charges us to defend the US homeland, to deter strategic attacks against the United States and our allies and partners, to prepare to prevail in conflict when necessary and to build a resilient Joint Force and defense ecosystem. So, we've moved out under the NDS in three main ways: forging integrated deterrence, campaigning and building enduring advantages,” he added. PTI LKJ RUP RUP

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