US 'most likely' to see strategic surprise in Pacific - official

White House Indo-Pacific coordinator Kurt Campbell said on Monday that the Pacific is the part of the world where the United States was most likely see a strategic surprise, in comments apparently referring to China.

"If you look and if you ask me, where are the places where we are most likely to see certain kinds of strategic surprise - basing or certain kinds of agreements or arrangements. It may well be in the Pacific," Campbell told a panel hosted by the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies.

"And we have a very short amount of time, working with partners like Australia, like New Zealand, like Japan, like France, who have an interest in the Pacific, to step up our game across the board," Campbell added.