How will China respond as US pivots to bigger Asia-Pacific presence?
- Both countries are increasing their military budgets, with the United States looking to extend its long-range reach
- It is the beginning of missile or strike competition in the region, analyst says
China is expected to shore up its defences to restrict other forces off its coast as the US prepares to expand its military presence in other countries in the region, according to one analyst.
Beijing might also try to pressure some Southeast Asian countries to keep their distance from the United States, two analysts said.
The assessment came after US President Joe Biden, citing China as a “pacing challenge”, requested a US defence budget of US$866 billion for 2024, of which US$842 billion would be earmarked for the Pentagon.
If granted, it would be the biggest peacetime budget of its kind and a 3.2 per cent increase over the previous year.
US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said the new budget would make “major investments” to “sustain” the country’s military advantage over China.
To retain that advantage, the US Indo-Pacific Command is seeking to boost Washington’s deterrence abilities against Beijing, including new weapons, new infrastructure and closer relationships with allies in the region.
