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In a hearing from the House Armed Services Committee, James Shinn, assistant secretary for Defense for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs, urged the Chinese government to become more transparent in their governmental and military dealings. Shinn said that the Chinese people know as much as the American public about what is happening in Congress and with U.S. military, but the United States does not have a clear picture of China because they are more opaque in their actions.

Shinn outlined some things that the United States know the Chinese government is doing. The official Chinese budget is 60 billion dollars, possibly twice that, but the United States can’t be sure, the Chinese are executing a comprehensive build up of their military forces, as well as improving the training and recruitment of military personnel and their actions reflect a deliberate attempt to invest in asymmetric warfare, Shinn said. The military balance in the region is shifting to the mainland power of China, which increasingly put U.S. forces in the region at risk, Shinn said. He was also concerned that the increasing capabilities may alter their intent in their actions with other nations.

The Department of Defense and the United States government are continuing their intelligence collection on the Chinese force build up and intent. Shinn also said that the U.S. military are training, equipping and posturing forces in the Pacific, in a way that responds to shifting capabilities of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). The United States is continuing to work closely with alliance partners in the region and helping them to build their military capabilities, so they won’t be swayed by the growing power of the PLA. Additionally, Shinn said that the U.S. government will engage the Chinese government at a number of levels to learn more about them, as well as signal U.S. resolve which will reduce miscalculation and build communication links in the region.

Speaking about the situation in the Taiwan Straights, Shinn said that the near-term focus for the PLA continues to be on preparing for military contingencies in the Straights and that the region has “materially increased in danger.” He also said that acting in the terms of the Taiwan Relations Act, the U.S. military will be maintaining their commitment to providing weapons systems as may be required to “oppose military coercion from China and the PLA. When asked about the safety and security of American athletes and spectators, Shinn said that the Chinese government hasn’t asked for U.S. military help in securing the Games, but that the Chinese government has made significant steps to make sure the Olympics will be safe for everyone.