US Commander Warns China Is Fast Becoming More Aggressive in Region

  • Aquilino expresses concerns as Blinken prepares for China trip
  • Indo-Pacific chief set to step down as three-year stint ends
John Aquilino speaks in Tokyo on April 23.Source: US Embassy & Consulates in Japan
Lock
This article is for subscribers only.

China is rapidly becoming more aggressive in its rhetoric and actions across Asia, the outgoing head of the US Indo-Pacific Command said, as Beijing turned up the heat on Washington just before Secretary of State Tony Blinken heads to the country for a high-stakes visit.

“We all need to understand that it’s moving very fast,” Admiral John Aquilino told reporters in Tokyo on Tuesday. “The buildup of military power despite a bad economy, the increased narrative of all things inside the 10-dash line are Chinese sovereign territory, then the actions that are going toward enforcement.”