China’s rapid military development poses a growing challenge to the United States.
Largest Shipbuilder in the World
According to a Digi24, China has made significant strides in defense manufacturing, surpassing the U.S. in several critical areas, including shipbuilding, missile production, and military aircraft development.
China is now the largest shipbuilder in the world, with a capacity estimated to be 230 times that of the United States. Between 2021 and 2024, China produced over 400 modern fighter jets and 20 large warships, while also doubling its nuclear warhead stockpile.
In contrast, the U.S. industrial defense base has struggled to match this pace, raising concerns about America’s ability to keep up in a prolonged conflict.
Raising Plane Production by 1,200
Admiral John Aquilino, a former leader of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, described China’s military expansion as the fastest since World War II.
The Chinese Navy is now the largest in the world, building eight destroyers and completing two aircraft carriers in just a few years. While U.S. warships tend to be larger and better equipped, China’s vast shipbuilding capacity would likely give it an advantage in a prolonged military conflict.
China has also invested heavily in modernizing its air force, producing over 2,000 fourth- and fifth-generation military aircraft in 2023 alone. This marks a significant increase from the 800 planes manufactured in 2017.
Despite these advancements, the U.S. still leads in areas like nuclear submarine production and advanced fighter aircraft, such as the F-22 and F-35.
However, China’s faster production rate and dominance in crucial raw materials, including metals used in defense manufacturing, could undermine U.S. military readiness in the long term.
