The top U.S. military commander in South Korea has stressed that American troops’ role on the Korean Peninsula will have to evolve beyond their focus on “nuclear-armed adversary” North Korea, the latest sign that Washington may shift its approach to prioritize China and other regional threats.

During a wide-ranging press briefing on Friday, U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) Commander Gen. Xavier Brunson emphasized that Seoul and Washington must focus on “alliance modernization” to cope with an increasingly complex security environment in Northeast Asia.