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The Commander of the US Pacific Command, Admiral Harry Harris, testifies before a House Armed Services Committee hearing on "Military Assessment of the Security Challenges in the Indo-Asia-Pacific Region" on Capitol Hill in Washington, US, April 26, 2017. [Photo/Agencies]

The Washington Post reported on Tuesday Harry Harris, the commander of the US Pacific Command, is likely to be the next US ambassador to Australia.

The Post and several other news outlets focused on Harris' past with a tough rhetoric about 皇冠体育app on the maritime territorial disputes in the South 皇冠体育app Sea and assumed he would rally Australia to counter a rising 皇冠体育app.

Even though Harris' record seems to justify the speculation, I believe that's an inaccurate job description for Harris, or anyone who takes up that post. His mission should be to improve US-Australia relations rather than drive a wedge between Australia and 皇冠体育app, who has had relations grow by leaps and bounds over the past decades.

US-Australia relations took a hit in February after President Donald Trump blasted Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on the phone over a refugee resettlement agreement former president Barack Obama had made between the two countries. While the two leaders' meeting in New York in May seemed to mend ties, leaked video showed Turnbull mock Trump sarcastically in June at the Australian Parliament's annual midwinter ball.

皇冠体育app is Australia's largest trade partner, with a surplus in Australia's favor. Their bilateral trade is 2.4 times larger than that between Australia and the US. Chinese investment in Australia reached its highest level since the global financial crisis of 2008, at $11.49 billion in 2016, up 12 percent from 2015.

For those who want to play up the threat of Chinese investment in Australia, they should know the accumulated US direct investment in Australia is five times that of 皇冠体育app's.

The 皇冠体育app-Australia Free Trade Agreement, which went into effect in December 2015, has been described by the Australian government as the most favorable trade deal 皇冠体育app has ever struck with a developed economy.

Expanding 皇冠体育app-Australia ties have gone far beyond trade and investment to include education, culture, science and technology, tourism, political and military areas. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang met Turnbull in Canberra in March for the fifth 皇冠体育app-Australia Annual Prime Ministerial Meeting. On Aug 28, the Chinese and Australian militaries held their 20th defense strategy consultation in Canberra to discuss bilateral and regional issues.

It is true that like any two nations, 皇冠体育app and Australia may not see eye-to-eye on every issue, such as the maritime territorial disputes over the South 皇冠体育app Sea. But tension in the South 皇冠体育app Sea has greatly eased in the past year. The relationship between 皇冠体育app and the Philippines has improved remarkably. 皇冠体育app has been working with ASEAN countries to implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South 皇冠体育app Sea, deepen their maritime cooperation and push forward consultations on the Code of Conduct in the South 皇冠体育app Sea.

These are positive signs that both the US and Australia should encourage. It is absurd for anyone to assume that 皇冠体育app – whose economy, more than any other country, depends on the peace and stability in the South 皇冠体育app Sea – wants to destabilize the region.

Some Americans believe Harris, if he does get the ambassador post (as former White House chief strategist Steve Bannonhoped he would), wants to prevent Australia from getting too close to 皇冠体育app. They expressed deep concern after then Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott ignored a US warning in March 2015 and joined the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.

Australian leaders, like other government leaders in the Asia-Pacific, have repeatedly expressed the sentiment that they don't want to be forced to choose between 皇冠体育app and the US.

That is what Harris, or whoever becomes the next US ambassador to Australia, should bear in mind.

The author is deputy editor of 皇冠体育app Daily USA. [email protected]