Stay updated with breaking news from China Task Force. Get real-time updates on events, politics, business, and more. Visit us for reliable news and exclusive interviews.
China was first and foremost on the minds of American politicians, planners and military officials during Thursday's congressional hearing on the Pentagon's defense authorization request for the forthcoming fiscal year.
“As we look at some of the aggressive behaviour that we have witnessed from China in the Indo-Pacific, I’m concerned about something that could happen that could spark a crisis,” U.S., Defence Secretary Llyod Austin said.
The directive clearly showed Austin’s intent to supervise the DoD’s China-related policies, operations and intelligence. President Joe Biden in last February announced the establishment of a task force. The task force did many interviews, reviews and in April finally submitted their primary assessment.
China claims almost all of the 1.3 million square mile South China Sea as its sovereign territory. China has been building military bases on artificial islands in the region also claimed by Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam. China has impeded commercial activity like fishing or mineral exploration by countries like Vietnam and the Philippines.
Describing China as a "pacing challenge" to the US, Defence Secretary Llyod Austin has told American lawmakers that Beijing's "aggressive behaviour" in the Indo-Pacific could spark a "crisis" in the strategically vital region. Responding to questions from members of the Senate Armed Services Committee during a Congressional hearing on the annual budget of the Pentagon, he stressed on having a direct line of communication between the militaries and also between government officials of the two countries. "As we look at some of the aggressive behaviour that we have witnessed from China in the...