Boosting military deterrence in the Indo-Pacific region
By Frederico Bartels, Opinion Contributor — 05/22/20 04:30 PM EDT
Boosting military deterrence in the Indo-Pacific region
Even amid the global COVID-19 crisis, the Chinese Communist Party continues its military aggressiveness on the international stage.
This can be seen in its military activities in waters disputed with Malaysia and Vietnam, around territory controlled by the Philippines, and its threating posture toward Taiwan. The increased use of force to bully others reflects Beijing’s growing sense of power, undergirded by decades of consistently larger defense budgets.
Recognizing these concerning trends, Congress last year asked Admiral Phil Davidson, the military’s Indo-Pacific theater commander, to submit a plan outlining options to enhance deterrence in the region. The plan, carrying the moniker “Regain the Advantage,†proposes five years of investment totaling $20 billion to be applied toward defending American interests in the Indo-Pacific, the region the Defense Department has identified as its priority theater.
https://thehill.com/opinion/national-security/499211-boosting-military-deterrence-in-the-indo-pacific-region
