China's Military More Aggressive Now As It Tries To Dominate Asia

The Chinese military has gotten much more aggressive and dangerous in the last five years, the top US military official said during a recent trip to the Indo-Pacific, that included a stop in Indonesia on Sunday, July 24, 2022, Lolita C. Baldor reported for the Associated Press (AP).

Photo Insert: China has increased military provocations against Taiwan in an attempt to frighten it into joining the mainland.

According to US Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the number of encounters by Chinese aircraft and ships with U.S. and other partner forces in the Pacific region has climbed dramatically over that time, as has the number of dangerous encounters.

“The message is the Chinese military, in the air and at sea, have become significantly more and noticeably more aggressive in this particular region,” said Milley, who recently directed his staff to compile information on interactions between China and the U.S. and others in the region.

His remarks came as the United States stepped up its efforts to develop ties with Pacific states as a counterbalance to China's efforts to extend its presence and influence in the region.

According to the Biden administration, China is America's principal long-term security concern and its "pacing threat." Milley's visit to the region is centered on addressing these concerns. He will attend a summit of Indo-Pacific defense chiefs in Australia next week, where key topics will include China's accelerating military buildup and the need to maintain a free, open, and peaceful Pacific.

U.S. military officials have also expressed concern about the likelihood of China invading Taiwan, the democratic, self-governing island that Beijing regards as a renegade province. China has increased military provocations against Taiwan in an attempt to frighten it into joining the mainland.

According to US military insiders, Beijing intends to make a move on the island by 2027. Taiwan's principal ally and supplier of defensive weapons remains the United States.

The U.S. administration is required by law to evaluate all threats to the island as matters of "grave concern," but it is unclear if the US military would defend Taiwan if it were attacked by China.

In a phone chat earlier this month, China's joint chiefs of staff chairman, Gen. Li Zuocheng, informed Milley that Beijing had "no room for compromise" on matters like Taiwan. He stated that he warned Milley that the US must "cease US-Taiwan military collusion and avoid impacting China-US ties and Taiwan Strait stability."

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