20250409: Full Hearing: U.S. Military Posture and National Security Challenges in the Indo-Pacific
2025-04-09
Loading video...
Source: Congress.gov
Participants
Transcript
U
Unknown (SPEAKER_18)
U
Unknown (SPEAKER_18)
U
Unknown (SPEAKER_18)
U
Unknown (SPEAKER_18)
U
Unknown (SPEAKER_18)
U
Unknown (SPEAKER_18)
Today we continue our posture hearings with Indo-PACOM and U.S. Forces Korea. I want to thank our witnesses for being here and for their service to our nation and the time it took for them to prepare for this hearing. These are very helpful and I appreciate your commitment. Last week China carried out large-scale military exercises off Taiwan's coast. China practiced assaulting maritime and ground targets and cutting Taiwan off from the world. This is not new. In recent years, China has increased the size, scope, and complexity of its drills around Taiwan. As Admiral Paparo has said, these are not exercises. These are rehearsals for a future, for a forced reunification. And these rehearsals are backed by real capability. China now has the world's largest navy and a shipbuilding capacity over 200 times greater than our own. It's rapidly expanding its nuclear arsenal and is expected to double its warheads by 2030. And China leads the world in hypersonic missile systems. China's growing defense budget shows it isn't slowing down. Last month, it announced a 7.2% increase in defense spending. The fourth straight year, it increased by more than 7%. Its military modernization is also being assisted by Moscow. In return for supporting Putin's war machine, China is receiving advanced submarine missile and nuclear technology. China is also working closely with Iran and North Korea to further its effort to undermine American influence and alliances around the world, and we cannot let them succeed. Yet year after year, the billions in Indopaycom's unfunded priorities have shown we're not giving our war fighters the tools they need to defeat China or to deter China.
That must change. China is our pacing threat and our defense investments must reflect that. We must fund Guam missile defense as part of President Trump's Golden Dome initiative. We must boost our defense, our ability to blind Chinese forces while hardening our command and control. We must refill our munitions stockpiles, especially long-range fires. We must expand the production of attributable unmanned systems to create the hellscape Admiral Papparo envisions. And we must rebuild and modernize the US shipbuilding capabilities. Delivering these capabilities will take serious investment. That's why I'm pushing for an increased spending in our military, including through reconciliation, through the reconciliation process with robust defense spending. Ultimately, deterring China is not something we should do alone. As Secretary Hickseth has said during his recent trip to the region, America first does not mean America alone.
Sign up for free to see the full transcript
Accounts help us prevent bots from abusing our site. Accounts are free and will allow you to access the full transcript.