Some Chinese military tech surpasses US, Pentagon admits, citing hypersonic weapons
- The US Defence Intelligence Agency says Chinese rules forcing foreign business partners to divulge technical secrets has led to major military advances in China
- The advances will ‘enable China to impose its will in the region’, the report says
China is on the cusp of fielding some of the world’s most advanced weapons systems – and in some cases already has surpassed all rivals, including the US, a Pentagon assessment released Tuesday found.
An unclassified report by the Defence Intelligence Agency says Beijing has made enormous military strides in recent years, thanks partly to domestic laws forcing foreign partners to divulge technical secrets in exchange for access to China’s vast market.
“The result of this multifaceted approach to technology acquisition is a PLA [People’s Liberation Army] on the verge of fielding some of the most modern weapon systems in the world,” states the report, entitled “China Military Power.”
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“In some areas, it already leads the world.”
China’s increasing military might means it has advanced capabilities in the air, at sea, in space and in cyberspace that will “enable China to impose its will in the region,” the report notes.
A particular focus for Beijing has been the prospect of an eventual conflict with Taiwan, which China sees as part of its territory.
Beijing has said it will not hesitate to use force if Taipei formally declares independence, or in the case of external intervention – including by the United States, the island’s most powerful unofficial ally.