(Sydney) Chinese military forces are taking “a worrying trajectory” in terms of capabilities and showing “more aggressive” behavior in the Pacific, underlined Charles Flynn, commanding general of the American Army in the Pacific, interviewed by the AFP.
General Flynn, who commands more than 100,000 American troops in the area, estimated that the Chinese army had made “enormous progress” in recent years.
“The trajectory followed over the last decade, if I multiply it over the next decade, it is a worrying trajectory,” the general told AFP on Wednesday in a video interview from Hawaii.
Under the leadership of President Xi Jinping, Chinese forces have modernized at an accelerated pace. Beijing has the largest navy in the world, in terms of number of ships, and has strengthened its nuclear arsenal, thanks to a military budget that is the second largest in the world, even if it remains far behind that of the United States.
Tensions between Beijing and Washington have intensified in recent years, particularly over Taiwan, an island that China wants to eventually reintegrate into its territory.
The two powers also disagree over Chinese claims in the South China Sea and are waging a struggle for influence in the Pacific.
Recent skirmishes between coast guard vessels and other Chinese and Philippine vessels in disputed maritime areas between the two countries were “irresponsible,” “insidious,” and “indicators of how (China) is becoming more aggressive », noted General Flynn.
He assured that Washington would maintain its commitment to the Pacific, despite massive military spending to help its Ukrainian allies in the war against Russia and Israel in the war against Hamas.
He declared himself “satisfied” with the military means at his disposal in the Pacific, while calling for restraint.
“I wake up every day knowing that there are wars in other parts of the world and that we don’t need another war.”