Defense Bill Prioritizes China Threat with ‘Pacific Deterrence Initiative’

The United States’ Defense Budget Aims to Counter China’s Growing Military

The proposed United States’ $886.3 billion Fiscal Year 2024 defense budget includes a $9.1 billion program to strengthen allied operational efficiencies and fortify installations in the Western Pacific. This program is specifically designed to counter aggression from China’s military, which has been rapidly expanding.

The Pacific Deterrence Initiative (PDI) is a key component of both the Senate and House armed services committees’ proposed defense budgets for FY24. The PDI, with a budget of $9.5 billion, represents a 40-percent increase from the previous year’s allocation.

Notably, both chambers’ draft NDAAs also prioritize support for Taiwan’s defense against a potential invasion by the People’s Republic of China (PRC). The proposed budgets allocate funding and resources to enhance Taiwan’s “porcupine defense” strategy.

In addition, the House Appropriations Committee subcommittee plans to transfer $500 million from the State Department budget to the Taiwan Foreign Military Financing (FMF) fund. This move aims to provide Taiwan with the necessary resources to strengthen its defense capabilities.

Furthermore, the proposed defense budgets emphasize collaboration between the United States and Taiwan in the field of cybersecurity. The Senate Armed Service Committee’s NDAA calls for a comprehensive training and capacity-building program for Taiwan’s military forces, while the House Armed Forces Committee’s NDAA allocates $108 million for defense articles, services, and military training for Taiwan.

PDI Focuses on Countering China’s Military Adventurism

The Pacific Deterrence Initiative (PDI) is a crucial part of the defense budgets, with the Pentagon describing it as a means to prioritize China as the preeminent challenge and strengthen deterrence in the Indo-Pacific region. The PDI consists of targeted investments to enhance U.S. force posture, infrastructure, presence, and readiness, as well as the capacity and capabilities of U.S. allies and partners in the region.

The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (IndoPacCom) will oversee the implementation of the PDI. IndoPacCom is the largest of the Department of Defense’s geographic joint combatant commands, covering 36 nations and more than half the world’s population. It includes various military forces and is responsible for strengthening regional security and deterrence against potential threats.

The PDI directives in the NDAAs call for improving U.S. missile capabilities, enhancing air and missile defense architecture, and bolstering Guam’s missile defense systems. The defense budgets also highlight the importance of modernizing the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site and increasing joint operations with allies like Australia, Japan, and India.

Strengthening Alliances and Partnerships

The Indo-Pacific Campaigning Initiative, a subset of the PDI, aims to increase joint exercises, freedom of navigation operations, and partner engagements across the region. The Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness Initiative focuses on enhancing security cooperation with Japan and ensuring India receives appropriate security cooperation benefits.

The PDI recognizes the importance of cyber cooperation with countries like Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Malaysia. It also highlights the growing support for the U.S., Australia, and the United Kingdom’s AUKUS partnership, which aims to develop and deploy attack submarines in the Indo-Pacific region.