Military officials told members of Congress this week that China is expanding its power and global reach by buying up foreign land and investing in developing countries.
The Communist regime’s goal, one official said, is to “win without fighting.”
“When it comes to China, the bottom line there is the checkbook,” Navy Secretary Richard V. Spencer told lawmakers at a House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense hearing on Wednesday.
“Not only in the dollars and cents that they are writing to support their military expansion and their technological work, but what they’re doing around the globe … weaponizing capital,” Spencer said.
“Their open checkbook keeps me up at night,” Spencer said.
Spencer referred to Beijing’s current funding of a Sri Lankan port project, a move not done as aid but rather in order to secure it for themselves.China has said the project is part of its $1.4 trillion ‘Belt and Road Initiative,’ which is meant to bolster trade routes by extending roads outside the country and building up ports.Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Robert Neller, who also spoke at the hearing, said the Chinese “are playing the long game.”
“Their concern with human rights is not there, they’ve got big bags of cash. They’re buying airfields and ports to extend their reach … they want to win without fighting,” Neller said. READ MORE
