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On-time appropriation of the president’s budget request will ensure strategic advantage while congressional reduction could hamstring US strategic competition with the People’s Republic of China, says US Secretary of Defense Lloyd J Austin III.
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The secretary of defense made the comments as part of an opening address before the Senate appropriations committee hearing on a review of the president’s fiscal year 24 budget request totalling $842 billion for the Department of Defense, on 16 May.
Secretary Austin said the Department of Defense is focusing entirely on continuing to outpace the PRC in an effort to deter aggression that threatens US national interests.
“We’re not just shaping our military but America’s entire strategy to compete and lead. No amount of money can buy back the time that we lose when we’re forced to operate under continuing resolutions,” he said.
“As the president’s National Security Strategy notes, the PRC is our only competitor with both the intent and, increasingly, the capacity to reshape the international system to suit its autocratic preferences.
“Beijing has increased its bullying and provocations in the Indo-Pacific. It’s embarked upon a historic military build-up, including in space and cyberspace.
“War is neither imminent nor inevitable. But we must face up to the PRC’s growing assertiveness.
“We’re investing more than ever in a formidable, innovative fighting force and a more resilient force posture in the Indo-Pacific. Our budget includes a 40 per cent increase over last year’s request for the Pacific Deterrence Initiative; to an all-time high of $9.1 billion.
The United States does not seek confrontation, conflict or a new Cold War but will not shy away from competition, Secretary Austin said.
“To prevail in strategic competition, we must work together as one team. And that demands even closer cooperation with our colleagues at the departments of state, commerce, and elsewhere,” he said.
“We work with the Department of State to help prevent conflicts from breaking out in the first place. We protect the free and open trade lanes that drive the world economy.
“We’re determined to keep the Indo-Pacific free and open. Most countries in the region share a common vision of an open and inclusive Indo-Pacific free of bullying and coercion. We’re proud to stand together with them.
“The whole administration is working to deepen ties with our network of alliances. We’re working with our friends around the Indo-Pacific and the world through security cooperation and assistance, and through combined operations and exercises.”
The US has already stepped up forward-deployment of mobile assets in Japan and hopes to deploy the 12th Marine Littoral Regiment to the country.
It is also pursuing major new force-posture initiatives with Australia to forge a more stable balance of power in the Indo-Pacific and has selected rotational access to four new locations under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement with the Philippines.
“I’m pleased that the United States will soon provide significant additional security assistance to Taiwan through the Presidential Drawdown Authority that Congress authorised last year,” Secretary Austin said.
“This is part of our longstanding commitment to upholding our obligations under the Taiwan Relations Act and other US policy; and to doing our part to maintain peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.”
China firmly opposes any country using a “bilateral treaty” as an excuse to meddle in the South China Sea issue and undermine China’s rights and interests, said Chinese Ministry of National Defense Spokesperson Senior Colonel Tan Kefei on 16 May.
“Thanks to the joint efforts of regional countries, the current situation in the South China Sea remains stable generally,” he said.
“The South China Sea should be a sea of peace, friendship and cooperation, rather than an arena for bloc confrontation launched by certain countries.
“We firmly oppose any country using the so-called bilateral treaty as an excuse to meddle in the South China Sea issue and undermine China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.
“We sternly warn the US side to earnestly abide by the one-China principle and the provisions of the three China-US joint communiqués, fulfil its commitment of not supporting ‘Taiwan independence’, and stop any forms of military collusion with Taiwan.
“And we sternly warn the DPP authorities and the ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist forces that any attempt to seek independence by soliciting US support or by force will lead to nowhere.”
