A senior U.S. defense official has reportedly held secret talks with top ranking Chinese generals, saying that if North Korea further increases its nuclear and missile capabilities, neighboring countries will take self-defense measures to protect their security, improve their alliances, and enhance offensive capabilities.

The Australian daily, “The Age” on Monday made the report by quoting U.S. diplomatic cables obtained by WikiLeaks.

The report said that U.S. Defense Undersecretary for Policy Michele Flournoy made the remarks in July 2009 during defense talks with China’s People’s Liberation Army Intelligence Department director Major General Yang Hui.

Flournoy stated at the meeting that if the North further increased its nuclear capabilities, there will be serious consequences for the security of both China and the U.S.

The U.S. official also said that either the North would take irreversible steps to denuclearize, or all concerned parties would go down a road no one wants to travel.

Meanwhile, Yang reportedly said that survival has always been the top priority for the North Korean regime, which concluded it could not give up its nuclear programs after witnessing the U.S. invasion of Iraq.