Azernews.Az

By Alimat Aliyeva

The US Navy plans to bolster its capabilities to contain China by 2027, Azernews reports.

This was stated by the Chief of Staff of the Navy, Admiral Lisa Franchetti, speaking at the Washington Stimson Center

"China has been able to effectively mobilize its industrial complex to produce assets specifically designed to counter our combined forces," said the chief of staff of the US Navy. "This is a very critical moment. We need to ensure that we continue to strengthen our capabilities so that we can deter China from any actions in 2027 or beyond," she added.

She reiterated the perspective that Chinese President Xi Jinping has reportedly ordered the country’s military to be ready for operations aimed at establishing control over Taiwan by 2027. This assertion was first made in 2023 by William Burns, the head of the US Central Intelligence Agency. In response to these claims, China’s Foreign Ministry emphasized that Washington uses the "myth of the Chinese threat" as a pretext to maintain its military dominance in the region.

"We know that we need to be more prepared than they are," Franchetti further stated, referring to China’s growing military capabilities.

This development comes amid rising tensions in the Asia-Pacific region, where the prospect of a Chinese military escalation over Taiwan remains a critical concern. The US Navy’s focus on strengthening its presence and deterrence capabilities is part of a broader strategy to maintain a balance of power in the Indo-Pacific and ensure that China does not challenge the status quo in the Taiwan Strait.

China’s rapid military modernization, particularly its advancements in anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) technologies, has prompted the US to reconsider its naval and strategic positioning. Beijing's growing assertiveness in the South China Sea, coupled with its actions near Taiwan, has raised alarms about the possibility of a conflict in the region.

The US response to these challenges is increasingly focused on strengthening alliances with regional partners, including Japan, South Korea, and Australia, as well as expanding military operations in the Indo-Pacific. Additionally, Washington is looking to enhance its technological capabilities, including cyber defense and artificial intelligence, to counter China’s military advancements.

As tensions escalate, the situation remains fluid, with many analysts predicting that the next few years will be crucial in shaping the future of US-China relations and the security landscape of the Asia-Pacific region