U.S. Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall warned that President Xi Jinping is amplifying China’s military strength and gearing up for a potential conflict with the U.S.
What Happened: Kendall, speaking at the Air and Space Forces Association Warfighter Symposium in National Harbor, issued a stern warning about U.S.-China relations on Monday, The Hill reported.
He underscored that although war is not a certainty, the U.S. must brace itself for a “kind of war we have no modern experience with.”
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China is swiftly bolstering its forces and has established two new military branches, Kendall stated, adding, “China has been reoptimizing its forces for great power competition and to prevail against the U.S. in the Western Pacific for over 20 years.”
Why It Matters: Kendall’s comments came amid escalating tensions between the U.S. and China over Taiwan, an autonomous island nation that Beijing considers a part of its mainland.
The relations between Beijing and Washington have reached a low point, with the Air Force Secretary warning of the possibility of the Chinese President taking Taiwan by force. President Joe Biden has previously asserted that the U.S. would dispatch troops to defend the island if necessary.
In June, a senior White House official expressed concern over the “real and growing” risk of a military miscalculation between the U.S. and the Chinese army led by Xi.
Other Pentagon and U.S. military officials also echo Kendall’s apprehensions of a potential conflict with China, possibly within this decade. He emphasized the need for the Air Force and Space Force to reoptimize for enhanced power projection and competition.
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