US Air Force chief focuses on China’s growing challenge over West Pacific, Japan and Taiwan

Washington [US]: US Air Force chief General Charles Brown is very focused on the growing challenge and assertiveness of China’s military air power over the Western Pacific and toward Japan and Taiwan, Sputnik reported.

General Charles Brown on Tuesday said that China is operating “increased capability in some of their platforms [and on] their propensity to fly over the water a bit more and challenge in areas around the region”.

Expressing view over China’s rising capabilities, Brown said “I am still hyper-focused on the capabilities of the PRC [People’s Republic of China] and how they are operating increased capability in some of their platforms [and on] their propensity to fly over the water a bit more and challenge in areas around the region, according to Sputnik.

Emphasising China’s increasing flights in international waters, he said “by stepping up its flights China is testing the responsiveness and speeds of reaction not only of the US Air Force, but also the air defences of Taiwan and Japan”. Underling Beijing’s continuous violation of Taiwan’s air defence zone, he said that China challenges Taipei in internal space every day. “It’s not just Taiwan: Japan sees some of the same things,” he said.

US forces are also observing the “increased tempo” of longer-range operations by the PLA Air Force, he said, adding that the Chinese force attempt to see “how American units respond and react”.