The head of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command told lawmakers this week that the U.S. is losing its lead over the Chinese military as the People’s Republic of China weakens international deterrence.
Admiral Philip Davidson, head of the Indo-Pacific Command, testified Tuesday for the Armed Services Committee, warning of an increasing “imbalance” in the region caused by China’s rapid military advance.
“The military balance in the Indo-Pacific is getting less favorable for the United States and our allies,” Davidson said. “With this imbalance, we are taking the risk that could encourage China to unilaterally change the status quo before our forces can respond effectively.”
China announced last week that it would increase its defense budget by 6.8 percent in 2022, allocating $ 208.6 billion to its defense budget – a move by U.S. lawmakers and defense officials.
Davidson said China could deploy three aircraft carriers by 2025, and expressed concern about the looming threat posed by China’s aggressive behavior to Taiwan.
“I can not understand for the rest of my life the capabilities they offer in the field unless it is an aggressive attitude,” he said, adding that he was worried that China would invade Taiwan within the next six years.
China has condemned international objections to its aggressive behavior against Taiwan. The maintenance of the island is its territory under its ‘One China Principle’, although Taiwan and the US consider the country independent of mainland China.
“By exploiting Taiwan’s issue of exaggerating China’s military threat, some people in the United States are actually seeking excuses to justify the increase in U.S. military spending, the expansion of its military might, and interference in regional affairs,” Chinese said. spokesman Zhao Lijian said in response to Davidson’s testimony Wednesday. “The United States must abandon the Cold War Zero-Mentality mentality, view China’s development and national defense objectively and rationally.”
But Davidson pointed to the concerns of the Cold War and warned that China is rapidly building up its nuclear supplies, telling lawmakers that if China continues to remain uncontrolled in its nuclear development, it could surpass U.S. supplies by 2030.
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“If they triple or quadruple their inventory, [China] could potentially have nuclear war against the US before the end of this decade. Is this correct? “Ask Senator Tom Cotton, R-Arch., To the Admiral.” If they doubled their stock, yes, sir, “said Davidson.
Davidson did not say how many nuclear weapons China or the US currently has, but data from the Arms Control Association states that as of August 2020, the US has 5,800 nuclear warheads, although only 3,800 of them are active, while China maintains 320 nuclear warheads.
Under the New Start Treaty that the US has entered into with China, the US may deploy 1,550 nuclear warheads on 800 strategic launchers simultaneously – a figure that will still exceed China’s quadruple nuclear capability.
In response to China’s increasing aggression in the South China Sea, including the development of artificial islands in disputed waters, the US has increased its presence at sea and the Freedom of Navigation (FONOP) has begun to keep international waters open.
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Lawmakers have asked President Biden to increase the U.S. defense budget by three to five percent to offset inflation and keep pace with growing international demands.
Congress has approved a $ 694.6 billion defense budget for the 2021 fiscal year – more than three times the budget China set aside for next year’s military spending.