US defence establishment alert to ‘stunning’ Chinese military advances
- Shift in the global balance of power is seen as complicating Washington’s alliances in Asia
- China’s test of hypersonic weapon able to partially orbit Earth then find a target was close to a Sputnik moment, says Joint Chiefs of Staff head Mark Milley
“The pace at which China is moving is stunning,” said General John Hyten, the No 2-ranking US military officer, who previously commanded US nuclear forces and oversaw Air Force space operations.
At stake is a potential shift in the global balance of power that has favoured the United States for decades. A realignment more favourable to China does not pose a direct threat to the United States but could complicate US alliances in Asia. New signs of how the Pentagon intends to deal with the China challenge may emerge in the coming weeks from Biden administration policy reviews on nuclear weapons, global troop basing and overall defence strategy.
For now, officials marvel at how Beijing is marshalling the resources, technology and political will to make rapid gains – so rapid that the Biden administration is attempting to reorient all aspects of US foreign and defence policy.
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Chinese hypersonic weapons test ‘has all of our attention’, US General Mark Milley says