Overview
- The Pentagon’s annual assessment says Beijing now lists claims over Arunachal Pradesh alongside Taiwan, the South China Sea and the Senkaku Islands as core interests tied to national rejuvenation by 2049.
- U.S. officials report the PLA is on track to exceed 1,000 nuclear warheads by 2030 and is planning up to six additional aircraft carriers by 2035.
- The report details continued Chinese arms transfers to Pakistan, including delivery of 36 J-10C fighters and earlier 054A/P frigates, as part of growing strategic cooperation.
- Analysts note China may leverage reduced friction along the Line of Actual Control to steady ties with India and blunt U.S.–India convergence, while New Delhi remains wary.
- The assessment cites an operational PLA presence at Cambodia’s Ream naval base, expanding China’s overseas footprint beyond its established facility in Djibouti.