Gen. Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the Chinese military has become much more dangerous and aggressive to the United States and its allies in the past five years, according to a report.
The comments from the top U.S. military officer came as he visited Indonesia to meet with Gen. Andika Perkasa, chief of the Indonesian National Defense Forces, during an international trip throughout the Indo-Pacific region with the intention of shoring up partnerships, the Associated Press reported Sunday.
“The message is the Chinese military, in the air and at sea, have become significantly more and noticeably more aggressive in this particular region,” Milley said.
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Last month, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in Singapore the United States has observed an “alarming increase in the number of unsafe aerial intercepts and confrontations at sea by PLA aircraft and vessels.” Milley said he has asked his staff to compile details about interactions with the Chinese in the region, per AP, and he reported there has been a “statistically significant” increase in intercepts between Chinese forces and those of U.S. allies Japan, Canada, Australia, the Philippines, and Vietnam. However, he did not provide the exact numbers of the incidents.
The Biden administration has sought to focus its attention on what it views as the rising threat of China seeking to expand its sphere of influence. Concerns among the U.S. and its allies have risen about Beijing trying such moves as establishing a naval base in the Solomon Islands, according to the Council on Foreign Relations. There have also been several cases this year in which China has flown warplanes near Taiwan and Japan, according to Axios.
Milley spent Sunday afternoon at Gen. Perkasa’s headquarters, where he was greeted with a grandiose reception, featuring billboards bearing his face, a military parade, and a large screen showing a short film highlighting his military career, according to the Associated Press. Milley’s visit marks the first visit to Indonesia by a chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff since Adm. Mike Mullen visited in 2008.
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Indonesia is seen as a key U.S. partner in the Indo-Pacific region. During his visit, Milley said, “We want to work with [Indonesia] to develop interoperability and modernize our militaries collectively” in order to “meet whatever challenge that China poses.”