Pentagon rattled by Chinese military push on multiple fronts

China’s growing military muscle and its drive to end American predominance in the Asia-Pacific is rattling the U.S. defence establishment. American officials see trouble quickly accumulating on multip

China’s growing military muscle and its drive to end American predominance in the Asia-Pacific is rattling the U.S. defence establishment. American officials see trouble quickly accumulating on multiple fronts — Beijing’s expanding nuclear arsenal, its advances in space, cyber and missile technologies, and threats to Taiwan.

“The pace at which China is moving is stunning,” says Gen. John Hyten, the second-highest ranking officer in the U.S. military, who previously commanded the U.S. nuclear forces and oversaw the 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 U.S. 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.