Vicky Hartzler: “I would like to thank the gentleman from Florida for hosting this important Special Order today. The United States is…”

“I would like to thank the gentleman from Florida for hosting this important Special Order today. The United States is currently facing a very real and dangerous threat from the People's Republic of China. The Chinese Government is not just using a whole-of-government approach but, rather, a whole-of- nation approach to achieve global influence. Today, I would like to focus on two areas of concern: Chinese military development, and its influence operations targeting U.S. academia and research. China is rapidly modernizing its military in order to improve its anti-access/area denial radius, power force projection, and nuclear capabilities, with the goal of complete military modernization by 2035. Investments in nuclear and power projection capabilities have expanded China's reach beyond the Pacific region and into other parts of the globe, demonstrating its desire to conduct offensive operations. Here are a few facts about China's military capabilities: China has the largest navy in the region, with more than 300 ships. To put this in perspective, the United States currently operates 289 ships. China's first aircraft carrier will likely enter the fleet this year, and its second aircraft carrier is already under construction, paving the way for China to have a multicarrier force. China operates the third largest aviation force in the world, with more than 2,700 total aircraft. Its first fifth-generation stealth fighter entered service in February of last year.…”