With the release of a new 182-page report by the Department of Defense, it has become clear that China is conducting its largest military build-up since that of 1930s Nazi Germany.
Prior to the report, some experts said China’s military build-up in recent years has been fueled largely by a lack of respect for the Biden administration.
Col. Grant Newsham, USMC-Ret., who once served as the first Marine liaison officer to the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, agreed. In his 2023 book “When China Attacks: A Warning to America,” Newsham documents Communist China’s ongoing covert war against the United States and its allies.
Speaking to WorldNetDaily, the Senior Fellow with the Center for Security Policy explained that “China’s military build-up has been going on for over 30 years – regardless of who has been in the White House – Democrat or Republican.” In addition, over the last 20 years, the People’s Liberation Army, or PLA – the Chinese Communist Party’s military wing – has also strengthened its capabilities.
According to Newsham, the CCP is increasingly emboldened by American weakness and perceived decline. To that end, he told WorldNetDaily, “The Chinese communists certainly did not fear the Biden administration,” adding, “There was nobody on ‘Team Biden’ handling foreign, military, economic policies – or China matters in general – that scared Beijing.”
However, in a few areas, such as maintaining former President Donald Trump’s tariffs and imposing additional sanctions and trade restrictions on the People’s Republic of China, Newsham said, “The Biden administration did some things that irked the PRC.” Nonetheless, he admitted, the Chinese continue to telegraph that “they had little to fear from the Biden administration.”
On the other hand, Newsham argued, “The first Trump administration was the first one in my lifetime that actually frightened Beijing.”
However, he conceded, “the PRC did not slow down its military build-up.” For Beijing, he added, the People’s Liberation Army and national military power remain “priority number one.”
For this reason, he said, “don’t expect the PRC to pull back on its military build-up just because Donald Trump will soon be back in office.” According to Newsham, “The CCP has reached a point a decade ago where its military is a serious threat to the U.S. and the U.S. military.”
Therefore, warns the retired Marine colonel, “Beijing will not let up in its quest to be able to dominate – and defeat, if possible – the U.S. and the U.S. military.” Newsham added, “I’m afraid the Chinese communist leadership finally sees this objective as achievable – and sooner than one might think,” he warned.
“The PLA’s overall capability for joint, combined operations and for operating far afield is becoming a huge problem – especially if you look out five or ten years in the future,” Newsham told WND. In addition, he said, “the PLA’s rocket force is an immediate threat, as is the rapidly improving and expanding PLA Navy.”
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This article was originally published by the WND News Center.
