Wicker: Americans underestimate China threat

By U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.)

We Must Act Now to Deter China

The commander of American military operations in the Pacific recently testified before Congress, and he brought an urgent message from the field. Admiral Samuel Paparo warned that the United States must act quickly if we hope to deter the worst intentions of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Under the iron fist of dictator Xi Jinping, China is working to assemble a military that can challenge the United States, the global economic system, and the free nations of the world.

China is Racing to Match U.S. Military

Xi Jinping has poured untold sums of money into his armed forces, and he shows no signs of stopping. China boasts the world’s largest navy, and its air force’s goal is to gain air superiority over the entire western Pacific. China has been expanding its nuclear arsenal much faster than we have. It has quickly built new intercontinental ballistic missile launchers, which can blast nuclear warheads from China to our American cities and towns.

Meanwhile, the United States has been under-investing in our military, diminishing its size and capability. If we continue declining as China keeps ascending, we could lose our competitive edge, and our lives would undoubtedly change for the worse. For decades, Americans have rested easy under the assumption that no country could challenge the United States military. We can no longer take that strength for granted.

Xi Jinping is Not Bluffing

Some military leaders like the element of surprise, but Xi Jinping tends to broadcast his intentions. He has told the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to be ready to invade Taiwan by 2027. Such an attack could result in global economic depression and lead to poverty, scarcity, and death. If he were to take the island, Xi Jinping would gain control over the most important global shipping lanes and own the world’s most advanced semiconductor manufacturing. He would be able to place military assets on islands even closer to the United States.

China has also made its ambitions clear by consistently violating the rights of other nations. PLA vessels have harassed Filipino and Vietnamese ships. Xi Jinping has wined, dined, and bribed African nations into exploitative economic relationships. China’s communist system deters innovation, so its leaders have resorted to plundering intellectual property from America, the world’s technology leader. The CCP runs over one hundred police stations in 53 countries, which it uses to track and suppress activists pushing for freedoms in China.

Xi Jinping is Not Acting Alone

Xi Jinping’s behavior is not the action of a benevolent world leader, but it does help explain the company he has been keeping. In the past few years, the Chinese tyrant has been orchestrating a coalition of fellow dictators. Under Xi Jinping’s direction, China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea are colluding to challenge the military, economic, and cultural strength of the United States.

Not since World War II have we faced such a widespread, interconnected set of dangers. This new axis of aggressors is helping one another sow chaos in nearly every corner of the world. They have even moved in our own hemisphere, with destabilizing activity in Venezuela, the Arctic, and at our southern border.

America is Waking Up to the Threat

In the past decade, Americans have underestimated China’s power and intentions. But as they see Xi Jinping’s continued violence, they are beginning to wake up to the threat. The free people of the world are also watching. We must take advantage of this increased attention to rally the world and stop China in its tracks.

In Congress, I have been working alongside my colleagues and President Trump to do just that. I serve as the Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, which is helping lead a revival of American military strength. We want to prevent war with China. Rebuilding American military hardware is the only way to keep the peace and deter the CCP from further threatening our way of life. We are acting quickly, because we know Xi Jinping is wasting no time.

This article is the weekly Wicker Report, written by U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and provided by the Senator’s office. Opinions expressed are those solely of the author.