UNITED States Secretary of War Mr. Pete Hegseth has issued what has been described as ‘sharp warning’ about China’s rapidly accelerating military build-up and has said the US would respond prudently but initiate action to strengthen America’s defence industrial base. Describing Beijing’s military build up as “historic”, Mr. Hegseth has said that the US proposes to respond with internal reforms. “... we ... look inward and increase our urgency of ensuring we build our defence industrial base in the arsenal of freedom”, he added -- indicating the criticality of the Chinese military push in the overall American strategic perspective.

 

Watchers of the global strategic scenario appear to suggest that the Chinese build up also has implications for India -- in the light of China’s expanding naval presence in the Indian Ocean Region, its militarisation of South China Sea area, and its deepening military ties with Pakistan. India hasn’t responded so far to the observation of the US Secretary of War -- but is known to be monitoring the Chinese military build up carefully. In tune with its policy of non-interference into other nation’s affairs, India has chosen to keep a watch on what the Chinese do and feel about their defence build up. America’s response is as per expectations. Being the world’s Number One superpower, the US has widespread interest in almost every nook and corner. For the past few years, China has been troubling the US because of its expansionism.

 

It might not have occupied territories of different countries, it has nevertheless as many as 22 known territorial and border disputes with different countries. The US -- and many other nations of the world -- looks at the Chinese diplomatic activity, supported by its strong military build up, as a potential threat to its hegemony. Seen from this point of view, the immediate American response makes much sense. Experts have often stated that the Chinese defence build-up is an activity whose pace is at least thrice faster than that of the United States. For example, when the Chinese ship-building industry produces as many as eight warships, the US is able to complete barely two within that time-frame. This capacity has made the Chinese Navy as the world’s largest maritime force -- which worries the United States most. It must be stated that even India is aware of the growing naval prowess of China, but looks at the issue from its own perspective, independent of the American view. India Navy, too, has been in a building-up mode for the past some time and now boasts of as many as two aircraft carriers. It has also initiated the process of building a massive naval base in the Nicobar Isles to lord over the oceanic choke point between the Bay of Bengal and eastern side of the Indian Ocean. American response to the Chinese build-up is understandable -- as Washington sees Beijing as a major international rival in many areas.

 

The repeated assertion of Mr. Hegseth that the US would be prudent in its approach to the Chinese challenge pints to the fact that Washington is taking the issue very, very seriously. It is clear that Washington treats the Chinese push as a complex issue that requires a complex response -- far beyond a hasty one in the playing-to-the-gallery mode. It is also understandable that the US has been watching the trajectory of Chinese defence build-up for quite some time, but has chosen to verbalise the concern now. There is reason to believe that the American response has been crystalised and action in that regard has already been kick-started. Behind the optics of diplomacy which the common people the world over enjoy but do not understand, there is a serious thought and action away from public view. When a senior secretary like Mr. Pete Hegseth chooses to verbalise his country’s view, he is doing so only after his country has a complete control over the response process.