"I would say that China, the People's Republic of China is using all instruments of power to achieve their goal, and we are behind," Brown said during a speech at the National Press Club.
Air Force Deputy Chief of Staff for Planning and Programs Lt. Gen. David Nahom told Congress in late July that China is building up its offensive air capabilities far faster than US military planners anticipated when writing their National Defense Strategy three years ago.
China has also transformed itself into a “strategic peer with world-leading, anti-access, area-denial capabilities” that is custom-designed to beat the US, Brown said.
Brown, who served as the Air Component Commander for the US Indo-Pacific Command prior to becoming Air Force Chief of Staff, emphasized that without change, the US risks losing its competitive edge in the highly-contested global environment, its credibility with allies and partners, and its ability to defend the national interest.