US lawmakers emphasize China's harmful intentions toward the US and its allies in the South China Sea

Washington [US], September 19: John Moolenaar, US lawmaker and Chairman of the Select Committee on Strategic Competition With China, has underscored China's harmful intentions and actions against the US and other nations in the South China Sea.

In a statement on Wednesday, Moolenaar remarked, "Many Americans and I believe that unrestricted economic engagement with China would lead to democracy in China and prosperity at home. This expectation has not materialized. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has demonstrated its true nature through the militarization of the South China Sea, blatant economic coercion, market manipulation, and flooding our communities with fentanyl. The CCP has repurposed the technological tools we provided to create surveillance systems that control the Chinese people and are extending these systems globally, including to America."

Moolenaar criticized China's approach to economics, describing it as an extension of its political strategy where China aims to eliminate competition. He noted that China often uses joint ventures and capital investments to manipulate markets, steal technology, and flood markets with cheaper, CCP-backed products.

Additionally, Secretary of the US Air Force Frank Kendall, speaking at the Air & Space Forces Association convention in Washington, stated, "China is not a future threat; China is a threat today."

Kendall detailed that over 15 years of observing China's military developments, he has seen significant investments by the Chinese Communist Party in capabilities and strategies designed to challenge the US and its allies' ability to project power in the Western Pacific, including targeting US air bases and aircraft carriers.

He described China's activities as a major threat and noted that other nations are also raising concerns about China's growing military capabilities and intentions in the Indo-Pacific region. Kendall acknowledged the increasing likelihood of conflict, particularly regarding China's repeated attempts to invade Taiwan, though he emphasized that war in the Pacific is not imminent or inevitable.