BEIJING (dpa-AFX) - Secretary of the U.S. Air Force Frank Kendall spoke about the growing threat that China poses to the Indo-Pacific region during a keynote address at an Air & Space Forces Association convention in Washington.
'I've been closely watching the evolution of [China's] military for 15 years. China is not a future threat; China is a threat today,' Kendall told a large audience, mainly composed of Air and Space Force personnel.
The secretary said the Chinese Communist Party continues to heavily invest in capabilities, operational concepts and organizations that are specifically designed to defeat the United States and its allies' ability to project power in the Western Pacific region, including weapons targeting U.S. land and sea assets like air bases and aircraft carriers.
'In addition, China continues to expand its nuclear forces and its ability to operate in cyberspace,' Kendall said. 'We can expect all these trends to continue.'
Kendall explained that, when traveling to the Indo-Pacific region over the past 15 years, he has seen a growing concern and, at times, alarm from other countries concerning China's growing capabilities and intentions.
An example of such capabilities and intentions include China's moving toward larger and more sophisticated exercises tailored for an invasion and blockade of Taiwan, according to Kendall.
'I am not saying war in the Pacific is imminent or inevitable. It is not. But I am saying that the likelihood is increasing and will continue to do so.'
Noting that the United States must be prepared for a potential future conflict, Kendall then listed numerous ways that the Air and Space Forces are working to do just that, including a massive modernization initiative to achieve operational imperatives.
Referring the current conflict in the Middle East, Kendall said Iran's attack on Israel in April failed, in no small part, due to defense provided by the U.S. Air Force and Space Force.
Kendall said that while Russia will be weakened from years of war with Ukraine, NATO will be even more resilient.
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