Ryan Chan
The United States is arming major Pacific allies and partners—Australia, Japan, and Taiwan—with anti-ships missiles as China's navy expands its reach and presence.
Beijing has warned that the region should not become "an arena for geopolitical games," a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C., told Newsweek in an email.
The U.S. State Department did not immediately respond to a written request for comment.
Why It Matters
A recent U.S. Defense Department assessment said China has the world's largest navy by hull count—more than 370 vessels, including two aircraft carriers, in service—and is attempting to challenge American naval dominance within and beyond the Indo-Pacific region.
The Chinese military has dispatched its naval fleet to stage shows of force in the region, including in daily operations around the self-governed island of Taiwan, by deploying an aircraft carrier near Japan's outlying islands, as well as in an unusual month-long circumnavigation of Australia.
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