China’s Military Expansion and America’s Defense Deficiency

[Social Media]

 

As geopolitical tensions rise, there is growing concern that the United States may be unprepared to face a significant military challenge from China. Although much of the discourse in Washington has focused on China’s economic struggles—such as high youth unemployment, an aging population, and slow economic growth—these issues have not hindered Beijing’s ability to ramp up its defense capabilities. While some believe that China’s military might is exaggerated, the reality tells a different story. China's defense industrial base is rapidly expanding, and the country has taken a wartime stance in its production of weapons and military technology.

 

Despite its economic challenges, China has been making remarkable progress in the development and production of sophisticated military hardware. Over the past few years, China has outpaced the U.S. in several critical areas, including shipbuilding and missile production. It has become the world’s largest shipbuilder, with production capacity 230 times larger than that of the United States. Between 2021 and early 2024, China’s defense industry produced over 400 modern fighter aircraft, more than 20 warships, and doubled its missile and nuclear warhead inventories. The pace at which China is acquiring weapons systems is five to six times faster than the United States. Admiral John Aquilino, former commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, has described China’s military buildup as “the most extensive and rapid since World War II.”

 

 

At the heart of China’s defense strategy is President Xi Jinping’s vision of creating a world-class military to fulfill his goal of the "great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation." State-owned enterprises have been key players in building China’s military capacity, with companies like Aviation Industry Corporation of China and China State Shipbuilding now ranking among the largest defense companies in the world. In just over a decade, Chinese firms have gone from being absent in global defense rankings to becoming top competitors of U.S. defense giants like Lockheed Martin and Boeing.

 

One of the most striking examples of China's military advancements is its naval power. The People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) is now the largest in the world, supported by China’s vast shipbuilding infrastructure. China’s shipyards can produce warships, submarines, and other military vessels at a scale that far surpasses U.S. capacity. While the U.S. Navy still maintains an edge in some areas—such as firepower and advanced nuclear-powered submarines—China’s ability to produce ships rapidly gives it a potential advantage in a prolonged conflict.

 

In addition to naval advancements, China has been modernizing its air force and missile capabilities. Its Aviation Industry Corporation has doubled its production of fourth- and fifth-generation fighter jets in recent years and continues to improve the country’s drone technology and missile systems. China is also making strides in space technology, increasing its number of satellite launches and developing systems that can track and disrupt enemy assets in space.

 

While China continues its military expansion, the United States finds itself facing significant challenges in maintaining its defense superiority. The U.S. defense industrial base has atrophied over the years, lacking the flexibility and capacity needed to match China’s rapid growth. The current U.S. defense production system is better suited for peacetime operations, and crucial bottlenecks in munitions and equipment could leave the U.S. at a disadvantage in a protracted conflict, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region.

 

Despite these challenges, the United States has yet to take the necessary steps to overhaul its defense industry. To counter China’s growing threat, Washington needs to address labor shortages in critical sectors like shipbuilding, streamline its contracting and acquisition processes, and invest in new technologies. A presidential-led initiative, akin to Franklin Roosevelt’s World War II “arsenal of democracy” effort, may be required to revitalize America’s defense industry.

 

China’s defense buildup is a warning sign. To ensure its readiness for potential future conflicts, the United States must act quickly to rebuild its military capabilities and safeguard its position on the global stage.

 

Based on a report from Foreign Affairs 2024-10-05

 

 

 

[thaibeachlovers]

IMO Xi has been looking at the USA's record of fomenting wars all over the place, and has decided China better be strong enough to deter the US from even trying it on. Only from a position of strength is China safe.

 

2 hours ago, Social Media said:

The current U.S. defense production system is better suited for peacetime operations, and crucial bottlenecks in munitions and equipment could leave the U.S. at a disadvantage in a protracted conflict, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region.

Perhaps if Biden wasn't sending all the ammunition and weapons to israel the US would have enough.

[thaibeachlovers]

2 hours ago, Social Media said:

China’s defense buildup is a warning sign. To ensure its readiness for potential future conflicts, the United States must act quickly to rebuild its military capabilities and safeguard its position on the global stage.

Wonder where the authors think all the money is going to come from, considering the existing debt the US apparently can't pay off.

[Srikcir]

4 hours ago, Social Media said:

the country has taken a wartime stance in its production of weapons and military technology.

Albeit POTUS Biden told Xi (paraphrasing) don't even think about invading Taiwan and he hasn't. Having seen the military power of the US and other democracies beat down Putin's planned two-day invasion of Ukraine into a dragged out years of war and suffering worse losses than it did in WW2, Xi is better off invading Russia and grab its oil fields in Siberia.

 

 

[newbee2022]

If you compare China with US since 1945 it was US, who wasted money in unnecessary und useless wars and unsuccessful CIA activities. And again it's US who drag us in proxy wars in Ukraine and Israel. Hopefully they will not Push us into WW3

[thaibeachlovers]

1 hour ago, Srikcir said:

Albeit POTUS Biden told Xi (paraphrasing) don't even think about invading Taiwan and he hasn't. Having seen the military power of the US and other democracies beat down Putin's planned two-day invasion of Ukraine into a dragged out years of war and suffering worse losses than it did in WW2, Xi is better off invading Russia and grab its oil fields in Siberia.

 

suffering worse losses than it did in WW2

 

Tell me when Russia's losses top 20 million, which is what they lost in WW2. That was a minimum and could have been millions higher.

[Srikcir]

Looking at Russia's progressive scale of losses,  the Ukraine war isn't over.  

[Srikcir]

5 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Tell me when Russia's losses top 20 million, which is what they lost in WW2. That was a minimum and could have been millions higher.

Further researching:

"Why did the USSR lose 14 million soldiers and 20 million in WWII. Was the USSR so weak?"

Carl Hamilton

· - M.S. in Geography & History, Roskilde University (Graduated 2021)

• For starters they did not lose 14 or 20 million soldiers at all. If you go by actual combat casualties, that means soldiers who died in fighting units, they lost 8.66 million soldiers, which is still a lot of soldiers.
• If you go by actual combat casualties, that means soldiers who died in fighting units, they lost 8.66 million soldiers, which is still a lot of soldiers.

Approximately 44.5 percent of the Soviet population and 8.7 of Soviet territory was occupied by the Germans. Before 2022, Russia occupied 42,000 km2 (16,000 sq mi) of Ukrainian territory (Crimea, and parts of Donetsk and Luhansk), and occupied an additional 119,000 km2 (46,000 sq mi) after its full-scale invasion by March 2022, a total of 161,000 km2 (62,000 sq mi) or almost 27% of Ukraine's territory.(Wikipedia). Of course in the Russo-German was the Soviets also fought through nonRussian lands to reach into German. By equal measure Russia should have by now 100% occupied Ukraine and Westward.

The point here is that there are a lot of factors to equalize the differences between the Russo-German war to the Russo-Ukraine war in terms of comparing soldier casualties. And that doesn't begin to address the initial lack of Russian armaments and time for Allies lend/lease of armaments at the beginning of the Russo-German war and the initial losses resulting, unlike the Russo-Ukraine war. 

[Wrwest]

13 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Wonder where the authors think all the money is going to come from, considering the existing debt the US apparently can't pay off.

And that Trump wats to continue or enhance his 2017 tax cuts ...