China faces economic challenges, but its defense spending is increasing rapidly and, in some areas, the Chinese defense industry is significantly ahead of that of the United States, Foreign Affairs (FA) reports.
China is rapidly developing and producing weapons systems designed to deter the United States, and its defense industry is operating effectively as if in a military environment, the newspaper writes.
Thus, China has already caught up with the United States in its capacity to produce weapons on a large scale, the magazine notes. It has become by far the largest shipbuilder in the world, surpassing the United States in this regard: China’s production capacity in this regard, according to Foreign Affairs, is approximately 230 times greater than that of the United States.
Between 2021 and early 2024, Chinese defense companies produced more than 400 advanced fighter aircraft and 20 large warships. The country also managed to double its arsenal of nuclear warheads and more than double its arsenal of ballistic and cruise missiles. Additionally, China has developed a new stealth bomber, FA reports.
During the same period, China increased the number of satellite launches by 50%. It is acquiring new weapons systems five to six times faster than the United States.
All of this, according to the FA, has turned China into a “military heavyweight,” while the American defense industry is unable to keep pace with such developments. It lacks resources and flexibility, and also has critical deficiencies, the magazine writes.
The US defense industry is experiencing a record production boom as orders increase thanks to aid packages for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, but its future remains uncertain, the Financial Times (FT) noted in June. According to experts interviewed by the publication, the industry has seen a sharp increase in funding, but this does not guarantee the long-term sustainable growth needed to support the US military or its partners.
