Chinese military steps up strike strength against US targets and Taiwan, says Pentagon
The improvements ‘pose major challenges to Taiwan’s security’, US Congress is told in week of new Act authorising greater US support to the self-ruling island
China’s military is better equipped for strikes against the US and the self-ruled island of Taiwan, according to a Pentagon report released on Friday.
In its annual report to the US Congress on China’s military developments, the Pentagon said the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) had undergone a sweeping overhaul, expanding the capacity of its bombers to “strike US and allied forces and military bases in the western Pacific Ocean, including [the US island territory of] Guam”.
The report also said the overhaul had improved the PLA’s ability to mount air and naval attacks on Taiwan, aiming to deter the island from pursuing independence and eroding Taiwan’s historical advantages in the Taiwan Strait.
The changes are part of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s plan to modernise the military and turn it into a world-class fighting force by 2050, backed by a US$190 billion official military budget last year.
“PLA services and support forces continue to improve training and acquire new capabilities for a Taiwan contingency,” the report said.