An official website of the United States government
Here's how you know
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Home : Media : News : News Article View
NEWS | May 17, 2023

Austin Outlines What's Needed for Successful Competition With China

By C. Todd Lopez DOD News

WASHINGTON -- This year's budget request for the Pacific Deterrence Initiative, or PDI, is a full 40% higher than last year's request, said Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III, and that's part of a DOD-wide effort to outpace the People's Republic of China.

"We're focusing the entire department on continuing to outpace the PRC as the President's National Security Strategy notes," Austin told members of the Senate Appropriations Committee during testimony Tuesday. "The PRC is our only competitor, with both the intent and increasingly the capacity to reshape the international system to suit its autocratic preferences."

To counter that, Austin said, the Department of Defense is now investing more in its force posture in the Pacific, including $9.1 billion aimed at the PDI. That increase, he said funds more agile approaches to testing and acquisition and development of new operational concepts for how the joint force is employed.

Spotlight: FY 2024 Defense Budget

Also important for successful competition with China is teamwork across the federal government, including with both the State Department and the Commerce Department. The secretaries of both agencies testified alongside Austin.

"We work with the Department of State to help prevent conflict from breaking out in the first place. We protect the free and open trade lanes that drive the world economy," Austin said. "And we're supporting the Department of Commerce's leading role in implementing the Chips and Science Act. And we work closely with Commerce to advance our technological advantages."

Nations in the Indo-Pacific, Austin said, are as interested in keeping the region open for free trade as the United States. Austin also said those nations are viable partners in the endeavor.

Spotlight: Focus on Indo-Pacific

"Most countries in the region share a common vision of an open and inclusive Indo-Pacific, free of bullying and coercion," he said. "We're proud to stand together with them. So we'll continue to strengthen the rules-based international order by making clear the folly of aggression and maintaining open lines of communication."

The U.S. depends on its network of allies and partners to further its interests — including successfully competing with China.

"The whole administration is working to deepen ties with our network of alliances," Austin said. "We're working with our friends around the Indo-Pacific and the world through security cooperation and assistance, and through combined operations and exercises. We're also working to develop innovative new capabilities and deepen integrated deterrence."

One example of that, he said, is increased deployment of assets in Japan, including plans to deploy the 12th Marine Littoral Regiment. Another example is new force posture initiatives with Australia. And in the Philippines, he said, the U.S. will have access to new locations to rotate forces in and out.

"Meanwhile, we're expanding our security cooperation with South Korea, India, Thailand, Singapore and many others," he said. "We're deepening our ties with [Association of Southeast Asian Nations] and the Quad [the United States, Australia, India and Japan.] And I'm pleased that the United States will soon provide significant additional security assistance to Taiwan through the Presidential drawdown authority that Congress authorized last year."

Austin also said that successful competition with China means that the U.S. must pass an on-time budget to fund the efforts he discussed.

"The best way that Congress can ensure our strategic advantage is with an on-time appropriation that supports the President's budget request," he said. "No amount of money can buy back the time that we lose when we're forced to operate on continuing resolutions."

Without an on-time budget, Austin said, the department is hampered in its ability to start important new contracts which are important to its defense efforts. One example of that, he said, is with ship-building efforts, which would affect delivery of Columbia-class and Virginia-class submarines, for instance.

"It will delay our ability to get the critical munitions that we need for ourselves and also to support our allies and partners as well," Austin said. Included among the kinds of munitions that a continuing resolution might affect the availability of are the Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System, Tomahawks, the Advanced Medium Range Air-To-Missile and MK 48 torpedoes

"The list is pretty extensive," Austin said.

CONNECT WITH USINDOPACOM
Facebook

Like Us
Twitter
342,728
Follow Us

ENGAGE & CONNECT MORE WITH PACOM

                                                 

IN THE USINDOPACOM NEWS
Texas Air National Guard Trains in Hawaii
Tactical Air Control Party specialists of the 147th Air Support Operations Squadron, Texas Air National Guard, participate in a 24-hour exercise that tested training learned over the course of the operation on Bellows Air Force Station, Waimanalo, Hawaii, April 18, 2023. The specialists stayed overnight in the mountains to conclude jungle warfare training. (Photo digitally edited to enhance the features of the subject)
May 17, 2023 - HONOLULU, Hawaii -- Members of the 147th Air Support Operations Squadron (ASOS) sharpened their ability to operate in jungle-like terrain during a 10-day exercise in Hawaii.The overall objective of the training was to prepare...

Partners in the Pacific - Global Dexterity 23-1
A Royal Australian Air Force C-17 Globemaster III flies in a two-ship formation during a training flight for Global Dexterity 23-1 in the skies of Australia, April 27, 2023. Exercise Global Dexterity 2023 is being conducted at RAAF Base Amberley, and is designed to help enhance air cooperation between the U.S. and Australia and increase our combined capabilities, improving security and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Makensie Cooper)
May 17, 2023 - JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii -- ROYAL AUSTRALIAN AIR FORCE BASE AMBERLEY, Queensland -- Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) No. 36 Squadron and U.S. Air Force (USAF)15th Wing teamed up to train together for Exercise...

Naval Aviation Holds 2nd Annual Safety Summit
Vice Adm. Kenneth Whitesell, Commander, Naval Air Forces, gives remarks during the flag panel of the second annual Naval Aviation Safety Summit alongside (from left) Rear Adm. John Meier, Commander, Naval Air Force Atlantic; Rear Adm. Rich Brophy, Chief of Naval Air Training; and Rear Adm. Christopher Engdahl, commander, Naval Safety Command; in San Diego, May 9, 2023. More than 500 attendees involved in safety, maintenance, and aircraft handling across Naval Aviation gathered to build upon lessons learned to enhance the culture of safety and discuss the current state of the safety environment within the Navy and Marine Corps. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Aron Montano)
May 17, 2023 - SAN SIEGO, CA -- Commander, Naval Air Forces (CNAF) hosted the second annual Naval Aviation Safety Summit in San Diego, California, May 8-9. The event brought together safety experts, leadership and supervisory Sailors to...

Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group Departs Guam
A U.S. Navy landing craft, air cushion, assigned to Assault Craft Unit 5, and a U.S. Marine MV-22 Osprey, assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor (VMM) 362 (Rein.), 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, returns to amphibious assault ship USS Makin Island (LHD 8), during a ship-to-shore operation of Balikatan 23, April 12, 2023 in the Subic Bay Harbor. Balikatan is an annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and U.S. military designed to strengthen bilateral interoperability, capabilities, trust, and cooperation built over decades shared experiences. The Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group, comprised of Makin Island and amphibious transport docks USS Anchorage (LPD 23) and USS John P. Murtha (LPD 26), is operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations with the embarked 13th MEU to enhance interoperability with Allies and partners and serve as a ready-response force to defend peace and maintain stability in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Eloise A. Johnson)
May 16, 2023 - U.S. NAVAL BASE GUAM -- The Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) departed Guam following a routine port visit, May 15.While in port, the Makin Island ARG, comprised of amphibious assault ship USS Makin Island (LHD 8) and...

Polo Demonstration Kicks-off LANPAC 2023
U.S. Army Pacific hosted a polo demonstration at Historic Palm Circle, Fort Shafter, Hawaii, on May 15. This awe-inspiring showcase was a standout event that kicks-off the 2023 LANPAC Symposium and Exposition. LANPAC is a professional development forum that highlights the role of land forces in the Indo-Pacific theater and their contributions to the Joint Force in peace and war. (Photo Credit: Pfc. Christopher Smith)
May 16, 2023 - FORT SHAFTER, Hawaii -- Stately horses galloped the lawns of Historic Palm Circle as Hawaii’s best polo teams demonstrated exquisite horsemanship for a polo demonstration held at Fort Shafter, Hawaii, May 15, 2023.General...