McMaster, an appointee of US President Donald Trump, made his remarks in Washington DC on Friday after Chinese heavy bombers staged practice nuclear attack drills near the major US Pacific Ocean military installation ahead of the president's upcoming visit to the Pacific region, which will include stops in Japan, South Korea, China, Vietnam and the Philippines.
Reports of the Chinese air attack drills against US-led territories were kept quiet by the mainstream press but details were leaked via the Virginia-based Military Times, according to the South China Morning Post (SCMP).
"I think the United States recognises that any kind of military effort like that will not be in China's interest," McMaster said in response to the news of the airborne nuclear attack exercises by Beijing.
The national security advisor stated that "convincing your enemy, or potential enemy that they cannot accomplish their objectives through the use of military force," would be a touchstone of Trump's upcoming talks with Asian leaders, including China's President Xi Jinping, cited by SCMP.
The Chinese mainland-based H-6K Badger heavy bombers are frequently equipped with 1000-mile-range nuclear-tipped cruise missiles.
Trump is currently in Hawaii preparatory to his first Pacific region stop in Tokyo on Monday to meet with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
"Diplomacy is our main effort," McMaster asserted, regarding the US president's travels.
He added, however, that "military force is an option that we have to consider because of how grave that threat is."
