The combative U.S. Navy Admiral Harry Harris, Jr., Commander, United States Pacific Command (CDRUSPACOM), said the United States stands ready for a military confrontation against China should the latter insist on enforcing its patently unlawful claims to own most of the South China Sea.

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He noted that China continues to act in an "aggressive" manner in the South China Sea, to which the United States stands ready to respond.

"We will not allow a shared domain to be closed down unilaterally no matter how many bases are built on artificial features in the South China Sea," said Admiral Harris.

"We will cooperate when we can but we will be ready to confront when we must."

Under Admiral Harris' command is the United States Seventh Fleet, the largest of the forward-deployed U.S. fleets. It consists of 60 to 70 ships (including two Nimitz-class aircraft carriers), 300 aircraft and 40,000 Navy and Marine Corps personnel.

The Seventh Fleet last June was reinforced in Asia by the United States Third Fleet's Pacific Surface Action Group, which deployed its guided-missile destroyers to East Asia off the coast of China.

The massive strengthening of U.S. naval power in Asia comes amidst "uncertainty and angst in the region," said the commander of the United States Pacific Fleet, Admiral Scott Swift.

Admiral Swift wants the U.S. Navy to utilize the "total combined power" of the 140,000 sailors, 200 ships and 1,200 aircraft in the United States Pacific Fleet.

Adm. Harris' fiery remarks will certainly infuriate China and come five days after the commander of the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), Admiral Wu Shengli, said China firmly opposes interventions in the South China Sea from countries outside the region -- an indirect reference to the United States.

Admiral Wu also sent a strong warning the United States must stop conducting any more "freedom of navigation and flight" patrols in the South China Sea.

He said other countries should respect historic facts; resort to negotiation for disputes; enhance mutual trust and personnel exchanges and improve joint drills.

He also said China stoutly opposes "unprofessional and unsafe acts" by ships or aircraft in the South China Sea, including attempts to use "freedom of navigation and flight" as an excuse to compromise Chinese sovereignty over the South China Sea and to destabilize Asia.

An International Court of Arbitration in The Hague last July 12, however, issued a ruling invalidating China's claim to own the South China Sea based on its alleged historical rights. The court found China had infringed Philippine sovereignty by seizing islands rightfully owned by the Philippines.

China has refused to obey the court's ruling telling it to return the islands to the Philippines. The United States has repeatedly called on China to respect the findings of arbitration court.

Admiral Harris said the United States will continue its ongoing freedom of navigation operations (FONOPS) in the South China Sea that repeatedly challenges China's claim to own this international waterway.

"The U.S. fought its first war following our independence to ensure freedom of navigation," said Admiral Harris.

"This is an enduring principle and one of the reasons our forces stand ready to fight tonight."

TagsU.S. Navy Admiral Harry Harris, United States Pacific Command (CDRUSPACOM), South China Sea, United States Seventh Fleet, Admiral Scott Swift, Admiral Wu Shengli, People's Liberation Army Navy, PLAN, International Court of Arbitration