Sen. Jack Reed (D-R ) states,” We know that China seeks to challenge the security and economic interests of the United States.” I. ) said.
The Biden administration wants to spend nearly$ 10 billion to develop defense capabilities in an effort to combat Indo-Pacific communist aggression.
The Pacific Deterrence Initiative ( PDI), a congressionally mandated section of the defense budget that prioritizes defense spending for the region, is included in the administration’s proposed defense spending request for fiscal year 2025, which includes$ 9.9 billion for the region.
Committee Chairman Jack Reed (D-R ) addressed the Senate Armed Services Committee on April 9 at a hearing. I. ) said the demand demonstrated how persistently the United States is trying to compete strategically with China.
” We are aware that China extremely has the ability to challenge the security and economic interests of the United States and our friends,” said Mr. Reed.
” Keeping our competition with China front and center, this budget request includes$ 9.9 billion for priorities covered by the Pacific]Deterrence ] Initiative”.
Mr. Reed added that he considered the money to be essential to ensuring” proper balance” in the Indo- Pacific by strengthening the government’s logistics networks, building allied capabilities in the region, and supporting training exercises with allies and partners.
Related Reports
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin testified before the council that the demand demonstrated the Pentagon’s ongoing efforts to challenge China in the region” with confidence and necessity.”
In his published evidence, Mr. Austin stated that the Department continues to promote investments in its activities and equipment to improve security and stability in the Indo-Pacific area and strengthen our advantages and those of our allies and partners north of the International Date Line.
In response to the expanding, multi-domain challenge posed by an increasingly aggressive People’s Republic of China ( PRC ), it will continue to strengthen our ability to defend our nation.
Additionally, Mr. Austin emphasized that communist China was looking for “new ways to destroy U.S. interests” both in the Indo-Pacific and abroad, and that ongoing work would be required to counteract its malign influence without escalating tensions into the realm of obvious conflict.
Roger Wicker, a member of the committee’s ranking, (R-Miss. ) said that the security setting in the Indo- Pacific had considerably “deteriorated” in recent years.
There was now a major threat, he suggested, of China’s decision socialist party pursuing a fight with democratic Taiwan. Also, he said, it remained a “very true prospect” that the regime could start a conflict with the Philippines, an ally whom the United States is treaty- bound to protect.
Mr. Wicker claimed that the United States would need to do more than the Biden administration had requested given China’s rapid military development, which included the largest nuclear proliferation since the Cold War.
” China’s military production rates, advanced training improvements, and innovation strategies are troubling, and they’re stunning”, Mr. Wicker said.
