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
348,301
Follow Us

ENGAGE & CONNECT MORE WITH PACOM

                                                 

IN THE USINDOPACOM NEWS
US Army sustainers provide sealift to Australian armor for Super Garuda Shield
Australian Army M1A1 Abrams main battle tanks and vehicles are unloaded from the United States Army Vessel SSGT Robert T. Kuroda at Tanjung Perak Port in Indonesia during Exercise Super Garuda Shield 2023. At the invitation of Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI), Australia is contributing over 125 personnel from the Australian Defence Force (ADF) to Exercise Super Garuda Shield 2023 (SGS23). SGS23 is an TNI and United States Indo Pacific Command led bilateral training activity. It is focused on joint operations with international partners in and around East Java in Indonesia from 31 August to 13 September. Held since 2009, the ADF first participated in 2022, and in 2023 is contributing an Australian Army force element including a Troop of M1A1 Abrams tanks from the 1st Armoured Regiment. The contingent also includes an Infantry Platoon from the 10th/27th Battalion, Royal South Australian Regiment, command and control elements, and a range of armoured vehicles, trucks and recovery vehicles. (Photo by Australian Defence Force Cpl. Dustin Anderson)
Sept. 19, 2023 - With Logistics Support Vessel 7 SSGT Robert Kuroda already in Australia for Talisman Sabre 2023, the conditions were set to transport Australian Defence Force tanks and equipment to Indonesia for Super Garuda Shield...

Statement from Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on the U.S.-Pacific Islands Forum Summit
Sept. 19, 2023 - President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. will host Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) leaders at the White House on September 25, 2023 during the second U.S.-Pacific Island Forum (PIF) Summit taking place September 25-26...

Joint Press Statement for the 23rd Korea-U.S. Integrated Defense Dialogue
Sept. 18, 2023 - The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and the Republic of Korea (ROK) Ministry of National Defense (MND) held the 23rd Korea-U.S. Integrated Defense Dialogue (KIDD) on September 18, 2023 in Seoul...

Army Reserve Cyber Protection Brigade Supports 2nd Infantry Division During Ulchi Freedom Shield 23 Exercise
The Army Reserve Cyber Protection Brigade (ARCPB) successfully supported the 2nd Infantry Division (2ID) C6 directorate in a critical operational support exercise from August 12 to September 2, 2023, as part of the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield 23 (UFS23) exercise.
Sept. 18, 2023 - The Army Reserve Cyber Protection Brigade (ARCPB) successfully supported the 2nd Infantry Division (2ID) C6 directorate in a critical operational support exercise from August 12 to September 2, 2023, as part of the annual...

5th ANGLICO Marines Conduct the Korean Maritime Exchange Program 23.3 (KMEP)
A U.S. Marine with 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines and Republic of Korea Marines with 3rd Battalion, 1st Regiment, 2nd Marine Division participate in a combined patrol during Korean Marine Exercise Program 23.3 at Rodriguez Live-fire Complex, Republic of Korea, March 28, 2023. KMEP is a series of continuous-combined training exercises designed to enhance the ROK-U.S. Alliance, promote stability on the Korean Peninsula, and strengthen combined military capabilities and interoperability. 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines is forward deployed in the Indo-Pacific under 4th Marines, 3rd Marine Division as part of the Unit Deployment Program.
Sept. 18, 2023 - From July to August 2023, U.S. Marines with 5th Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company (5th ANGLICO), III Marine Expeditionary Force Information Group, participated in the Korean Marine Exchange Program 23.3 (KMEP)...