The U.S. is reportedly falling behind China in shipbuilding capacity, with lawmakers and experts expressing concerns about the nation’s ability to develop and produce defense supplies adequately. The Biden administration is striving to bolster U.S. military capabilities amid rising tensions in regions such as the Indo-Pacific.
During a congressional hearing on Thursday, Rep. John Moolenaar, the Republican chair of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, emphasized the need for the U.S. to enhance its military readiness. He stated that the country currently lacks the capacity to “deter and win a fight” with China and advocated for bold policy changes and significant resources to restore deterrence.
China’s naval capabilities are highlighted as being the world’s largest, with its shipbuilding capacity estimated at 230 times larger than that of the U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi mentioned that for every ocean-going vessel the U.S. can produce, China can create 359 annually. The U.S. government views China as a significant threat, with concerns evolving from Beijing’s peacetime military buildup, especially in areas such as the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea.
Krishnamoorthi reiterated that a strong military industrial base is critical to deter aggression from adversaries. He referenced historical precedents indicating that military preparedness is essential to prevent potential conflicts. National security adviser Jake Sullivan described the issue as a “generational project” stemming from significant declines in the American shipbuilding industry since the early 1980s.
Sullivan remarked on the fragility of the current U.S. shipbuilding infrastructure, linked to a reduction in the manufacturing workforce and the departure of suppliers from the sector. He pointed out that recent underinvestments have severely weakened the U.S. military industrial base, evidenced by the high demand for ammunition during the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
The head of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Adm. Samuel Paparo, recently noted the strains on U.S. weapons stockpiles due to involvement in international conflicts, with concerns that this could affect the military’s capability to respond to threats from China.
Experts from the Center for Strategic and International Studies warned that China’s rapid military growth could provide a decisive advantage in any prolonged conflict, enabling faster repairs and replacements of naval vessels compared to U.S. capabilities.
The congressional panel discussed potential solutions for enhancing the defense industrial base, including innovations in low-cost autonomous systems and leveraging allies’ resources for co-production in areas like munitions and shipbuilding, particularly with partners in Australia and South Korea. William Greenwalt, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, underlined the urgency of increasing output swiftly.
