- US Navy Adm. John Aquilino said China's military buildup is progressing at a rate not seen since World War II.
- This puts the United States on track to achieve its goal of being ready to invade Taiwan by 2027, he said.
- Outgoing Commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command Aquilino called on the US government to accelerate military development.
U.S. Navy Adm. John Aquilino said China's rapid military buildup is even greater than seen since World War II, and that it is aimed at preparing for an invasion of Taiwan by 2027. He said this means that he is making good progress toward achieving this goal.
“All signs point to the People's Liberation Army meeting President Xi Jinping's directive to be ready to invade Taiwan by 2027,” Aquilino said in testimony before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on the Armed Forces.
“Furthermore, the People's Liberation Army's actions demonstrate its ability to meet President Xi's desired timeline for reunifying Taiwan and mainland China by force if directed,” said the outgoing commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command. the admiral added.
Notably, Aquilino told lawmakers at Wednesday's hearing that China still wants to assimilate Taiwan without war, even though Beijing is rapidly approaching an offensive capability. That's what I said I believed.
Both he and Elie Ratner, assistant secretary of defense for Indo-Pacific Command, said the threat of direct U.S.-China conflict is “not imminent or inevitable,” but said the Pentagon is moving quickly to reduce the risk of war. He said there was a need to act.
His projected timeline is consistent with that laid out by his predecessor Rhett. Adm. Philip Davidson and other U.S. military leaders have said China does not necessarily want war, but is seeking to achieve the ability to invade Taiwan by 2027.
In his testimony, Aquilino said that of the three major U.S. concerns in the region — Russia, China, and North Korea — China is “the only country with the capacity, capability, and intent to upend the international order.” ”, he wrote.
“The PLA is expanding its reach across land, sea, air, space, cyber, and information domains on a scale not seen since World War II,” he added.
Aquilino said the Chinese military has stockpiled more than 400 fighter jets and more than 20 warships and doubled its missile inventory over the past three years.
At the same time, the Chinese government has increased the number of satellites it deploys by 50% and more than doubled its nuclear warhead inventory, it added.
Aquilino said threats in the Indo-Pacific continue to “increase and accelerate” and urged the United States to step up military development.
“We have to move faster,” Aquilino repeatedly told lawmakers during a two-hour hearing Wednesday.
He recommended that Guam have a system capable of defending against hypersonic and cruise missiles by 2027, two years earlier than the 2029 deadline set by Congress in December.
The Indo-Pacific Command wants $11 billion more in funding allocated by the White House this year on its priority wish list, including $430 million for the Guam missile defense system, according to documents obtained by Politico Pro. is required.
China has not officially signaled that war with Taiwan is imminent. But Xi said he believed unification was inevitable. He also did not rule out the possibility of assimilating the autonomous islands by force.
Analysts are debating the ability to carry out a successful amphibious invasion of the island, with the likelihood and timeliness of U.S. intervention at the center of calculations.
If Beijing were to invade Taiwan, it would have the daunting task of safely moving large ground forces across the strait. China appears to be considering transportation options, including requisitioning civilian vessels to assist with transport.
Meanwhile, analysts say Taiwan's best defense plans are likely to hold out until the US arrives.
Meanwhile, U.S. leaders are concerned about President Xi's mission to make China's military a “world-class” force by 2027, with the White House warning that China will dominate the Indo-Pacific and potentially other regions as well. There are concerns that China is trying to replace the United States as a world power. globe.
More recently, China's military has been embroiled in corruption scandals, with Mr. Xi expelling several senior leaders. Among them were executives from the highly regarded Rocket Forces.
Reports of purges and corruption that have seriously affected China's arsenal have raised international questions about the true strength of the People's Liberation Army and whether President Xi Jinping's military goals are lagging behind.
