US to send 2 warships to Japan

2 ballistic missile destroyers to be deployed to counter N korea threat

{associated press, tokyo, april 6.} US DEFENCE secretary Chuck Hagel delivered a two-pronged warning to Asia Pacific nations  Sunday, announcing that the US will send two additional ballistic missile destroyers to japan to counter the North Korean threat, and saying China must better respect its neighbours.

IN usually forceful remarks about China, Hagel drew a direct link between Russia's takeover of Ukraine's Crimea region and the ongoing territorial disputes between China, Japan and others over remotes islands in the east China sea.

Hagel, who will travel to China later this week, called the Asian nations a "great power",and added,"with this power comes new and wider responsibilities as to how you use that power ,how you employ that military power."

He said he will talk to the Chinese about having respect for their neighbours, and said, "coercion, intimidation is a very deadly thing that lead only to conflict. All nations, all people deserve respect no matter how large or how small."

"I WILL BE TALKING WITH THE CHINESE ABOUT RESPECT FOR THEIR NEIGHBOURS. COERCION, INTIMIDATION IS A VERY DEADLY THING THAT LEADS ONLY TO CONFLICT. ALL NATIONS, ALL PEOPLE DESERVE RESPECT NO MATTER HOW LARGE OR HOW SMALL

 -Chuck Hagel,US Defence Secretary