US Army Pacific chief warns of rapid Chinese military modernisation

China is advancing its military technologies, capabilities, and operational procedures at an unprecedented pace and scale, Army General Ronald P. Clark, commander of U.S. Army Pacific, said on June 27 during a strategic landpower forum held at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies headquarters in Washington.

Clark emphasised that China is learning valuable lessons from ongoing conflicts worldwide and swiftly enhancing its ability to conduct joint operations.

He noted that China’s primary focus has been on anti-access and area denial strategies in the air and maritime domains, specifically targeting the U.S. and its allies.

Explaining the concepts, Clark said anti-access tactics aim to prevent an opposing military force from entering a designated area, while area denial restricts a force’s freedom of movement within that area.

"What they have not accounted for is our ability to provide access through multidomain operations from the land," Clark said. He referred to the U.S. Army’s multidomain task force deterrence concept, which emphasizes capabilities across space, cyberspace, electronic warfare, information operations, and long-range fires.

Clark also highlighted China’s increasing aggression, belligerence, and coercive measures against regional allies and partners. He stressed the importance of U.S. military presence in the region to offer alternative security options.

"Our ability to be present, to give them an alternative, specifically in the security arena, is very, very important. So, presence matters," he said.

The general pointed to the numerous military exercises conducted throughout the Indo-Pacific region involving the U.S. and partner nations as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen readiness and deterrence.

To enhance operational efficiency and reduce dependency on long-distance supply lines, Clark revealed that the U.S. Army is expanding its prepositioned stocks in the region through joint theater distribution centers.

"Our ability to be able to gain positional advantage is all tied to our efforts to campaign inside the first and second island chains, to build positional advantage through our engagements, through our operations, through our activities and investments in the [Indo-Pacific] region," Clark said.

For context, the first island chain includes islands and territories stretching from Japan down to Southeast Asia, many of which lie adjacent to waters that China claims illegally. The second island chain extends further east, encompassing locations such as Japan’s Bonin Islands, Guam, and islands southward to Western New Guinea.

Beyond equipment and munitions, Clark stressed that the Army is investing heavily in training soldiers to meet the evolving demands of modern warfare.

"We've doubled down on holistic health and fitness to ensure soldiers and their families are resilient for whatever lies ahead," he said.

Clark further noted that the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command is prepared to assist with natural disasters, which frequently occur in the region. Soldiers are actively involved in testing and refining new capabilities in real-world conditions.

"We're putting [new capabilities] into the hands of soldiers on the ground who, as you well know, will take it, break it, tell us what we can do to fix it, to ensure that we're getting the best capability into the hands of our teammates, who are forward in our theater, in real time," Clark added.

By Tamilla Hasanova