US can defeat China in Pacific, but technical advantage is shrinking: US Commander

While addressing the Reagan Defence Forum on Saturday, Paparo emphasised the need for the US to maintain its technical lead over China. He highlighted two key areas for improvement: enhancing missile technology and developing a secure communications network that can withstand cyber attacks.

Further, he said, "Although the US is able to hit long-distance and difficult targets with its advanced cruise missile system, each launch costs more than USD 1 million. By contrast, drones, which are relatively cheap to build and develop, can be remotely controlled to fight on the front lines through a computer."

As per The Washington Post report, Paparo stated that "Russia and North Korea had reached an agreement on Moscow providing fourth-generation Mikoyan MiG-29 and Sukhoi Su-27 fighter jets in exchange for Pyongyang sending troops to help in the fight against Ukraine."

Pyongyang, rather than Moscow, proposed sending North Korean troops to Ukraine, Paparo said, adding that the condition was set so that Pyongyang could also obtain ballistic missile re-entry technology and submarine-related technology from Moscow, as per Taipei Times.

According to Paparo, North Korea on October 31 tested an intercontinental ballistic missile that reached an altitude of 7,000km.

"Even though Pyongyang continues to test long-range missiles with adequate range to reach the US ... the US has not yet seen evidence that North Korea has mastered the difficult task of building re-entry vehicles that could contain nuclear warheads, and that could withstand atmospheric resistance and heating when returning from space at a speed of 7km per second. This may help explain why the testing continues," he said.

"Chinese President Xi Jinping had given his military leaders the task of being ready to take Taiwan by 2027, even in the face of US military involvement, but it does not represent a decision to attack that year or any particular year," he said. (ANI)