The United States has released its annual assessment of China’s military power, warning that Beijing’s rapidly expanding forces pose a growing threat to the US and its allies and could be ready for conflict within the next two years.
The report, published Wednesday by the Pentagon, says the People’s Liberation Army is shaping its forces to give Chinese President Xi Jinping credible military options against Taiwan by 2027, as pressure on the self-ruled island continues to rise. According to the assessment, China expects it could fight and win a war over Taiwan by the end of that year.
The Pentagon describes China’s military buildup as historic, pointing to the rapid expansion of nuclear forces, hypersonic weapons, long-range missile systems, cyber warfare units and space capabilities. These developments, the report says, have increased the vulnerability of the US homeland.
Beyond Taiwan, the assessment warns that Beijing is seeking to dominate the Indo-Pacific’s First Island Chain, which runs from Japan through Southeast Asia, as part of a broader effort to reshape the global balance of power.
The report also highlights China’s growing activity in cyber and space domains, noting that Chinese cyber operations have targeted US infrastructure and military networks, while space systems are becoming more deeply integrated into Beijing’s military planning.
