China tops US rival list

CHINA is now the biggest military threat to the US and has been formally promoted to the top of a list of its most dangerous rivals, according to the Pentagon.

US Defence Secretary Mark Esper has told military chiefs to recalibrate their training and operations to match Beijing’s capabilities.

The military must make China “the pacing threat in all our schools, programs and training”, Mr Esper said.

“We are now in an era of great power competition and China, then Russia, constitute our top strategic competitors,” Mr Esper said.