U.S. Officials Are Surprised On China's Growing Ability To Strike U.S. Bases, Ships And Aircraft Throughout The Pacific

H-6K bombers. People's Daily

U.S. Spooked by China's Nuke Bomber, Attack Drone Projects -- Dan Lamothe, Killer Apps/Foreign Policy

In June, the Chinese military received the first of its new, long-range bombers, the Hongzha-6K. It's an upgraded model of the twin-engine plane the Chinese have used for decades, but has some significant new bells and whistles - most notably the likely ability to carry cruise missiles armed with nuclear warheads.

The bomber is among the ground likely to be covered at a House Armed Services Committee hearing Wednesday as members of the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission testify about their annual report. It warns that the Chinese are "rapidly expanding and diversifying" their ability to strike U.S. bases, ships and aircraft throughout to the Pacific, including those in places like Guam that were previously out of reach. The report's release comes as the U.S. simultaneously increases the frequency with which it interacts with the Chinese military, and blasts the country for hacking into U.S. computer networks to steal secrets.

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My Comment: I am surprised that U.S. officials are surprised by these Chinese developments. The Chinese have made it very clear for the past decade that they want to be Asia's regional superpower. To achieve this goal they need to expand their military capabilities and since they have the know-how, the resources, the money, and the will to build these weapons platforms .... it is only natural that with time these weapon platforms wil be deployed.