Pentagon Report Reveals China’s Growing Military Power, Biden Administration Requests Additional Funding to Counter Threats

The Pentagon released a report on Thursday detailing China’s increasing military power. According to the report, Beijing is exceeding previous projections of how quickly it is building up its nuclear weapons arsenal and is “almost certainly” learning lessons from Russia’s war in Ukraine about what a conflict over Taiwan might look like.

The report also warns that China may be pursuing a new intercontinental missile system using conventional arms that, if fielded, would allow Beijing “to threaten conventional strikes against targets in the continental United States, Hawaii and Alaska.”

In response to the report, President Joe Biden sent Congress a detailed request on Friday to spend $106 billion in the coming year to help Ukraine and Israel defend themselves, help war victims in Ukraine and the Gaza Strip, counter China in the western Pacific and improve security at the Mexican border.

The White House Office of Management and Budget director, Shalanda Young, said the request was made with the expectation that Congress will act swiftly. The funds would be used to help Ukraine and Israel defend themselves against potential threats from China and other adversaries.

The Pentagon report is the latest in a series of warnings from the U.S. government about China’s growing military power. The Biden administration has taken a more aggressive stance toward China, and the request for additional funding is a sign of the administration’s commitment to countering China’s military buildup.