China Strengthens Combat Readiness to Counter US Pressure

Hong Kong, Taiwan, South China Sea: Regional Uncertainty Grows Due to US Interference
Obama Era Mindset in the US... Only Military Power Can Maintain Peace and Stability

[Asia Economy Beijing=Special Correspondent Jo Young-shin] As the pressure from the United States on China intensifies, voices within China calling for further strengthening of its military power are growing louder.

China's state-run Global Times cited experts on the 11th, reporting that since the U.S. emphasizes China as a strategic threat, the People's Liberation Army must strengthen its combat readiness.

Earlier, Philip Davidson, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command commander, warned at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing that "China is accelerating efforts to replace the U.S. and its leading role in the international order," expressing concern over China's expansion of influence.

Chinese military experts warned that the hostile attitude of the U.S. toward China could further escalate conflicts between the two countries.

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

Lv Xiang, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, pointed out, "The U.S. is only interested in China's capabilities and does not believe us no matter how much we explain," adding, "The U.S. government is trapped in the mindset of the Obama era." He emphasized, "The U.S. idea that China is trying to replace America's role in the international order is mistaken."

He also diagnosed that "The U.S. government is using China to regain the lost leadership of the Trump era," and noted that even U.S. allies hope for problem-solving through dialogue rather than tension.

Jin Chanlong, deputy director of the School of International Relations at Renmin University, warned, "The U.S. continues to provoke military tensions to maintain hegemonic influence in the South China Sea, Taiwan Strait, and the Indo-Pacific," and cautioned that "joint military actions by the U.S., India, and Japan will increase the risk of military conflict in the region."

Chinese military experts emphasized, "There was a time when China was weak militarily and could not defend itself, but the current China possesses strong military power capable of deterring external military forces."

In fact, on the 8th, President Xi Jinping attended the People's Liberation Army and People's Armed Police representatives' subcommittee meeting at the National People's Congress (NPC) and instructed the entire military to maintain combat readiness to respond immediately to difficult situations, stating, "The security situation around China is extremely unstable and uncertain."

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

Song Zhongping, a Chinese military expert, stated, "The instability and uncertainty of China's security stem from the U.S., which interferes in China's internal affairs such as the Hong Kong and Taiwan issues and intervenes in the South China Sea issue," emphasizing the necessity for China to strengthen its military power.

Researcher Lv argued, "Strengthening China's combat readiness and military power will reduce the possibility of war with the U.S.," and claimed, "Only strong military power can enable peace and stability."

Meanwhile, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang announced in the NPC work report held on the 5th that this year's defense budget was set at 1.3553 trillion yuan. China's defense budget has been increasing annually since it first exceeded 1 trillion yuan (1.044 trillion yuan) in 2017, with 1.106 trillion yuan in 2018, 1.189 trillion yuan in 2019, and 1.2686 trillion yuan in 2020.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.