Past Washington Times articles from 2023
Space Force urgently needs counterspace weapons to deter war with China, new study finds
June 29, 2023
The Space Force needs new offensive weapons and more sophisticated defenses to counter China's rapid deployment of multiple space arms that would pose major dangers for the U.S. military in a conflict, according to an extensive study.
House bill directs Pentagon to study wartime naval blockade of China
June 27, 2023
The House version of a major defense authorization bill now working its way through Congress would order Pentagon planners to study the feasibility of imposing a U.S. naval blockade of China to prevent oil shipments from reaching the country in the event of a future conflict.
China's ties to Putin, Kremlin shaken by mercenary uprising
June 26, 2023
China's leadership is closely watching recent events in Russia, concerned that a similar military revolt may erupt in Beijing, a senior White House official said Monday.
Blinken's visit to China fails to restart military-to-military talks
June 20, 2023
A key Biden administration goal for averting a future war with China through greater military-to-military exchanges went unmet as Chinese officials refused to reopen the communications channel during recent top-level talks in Beijing.
China conducts nighttime bomber sorties around Taiwan
June 19, 2023
China's military this week carried out nighttime bomber missions around Taiwan, flights that coincided with the visit to Beijing by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Chinese state media reported Monday.
Navy at risk of losing submarine edge to advanced undersea defenses by China and Russia
June 8, 2023
Advances in undersea warfare and defenses by China and Russia are endangering the key strategic ability of U.S. Navy nuclear attack submarines to deter a war in the Taiwan Strait or track adversarial missile submarines, according to a report by two experts on American defense capabilities.
New Cold War? U.S., China defense chiefs square off in Singapore
June 6, 2023
U.S. and Chinese military leaders squared off at a major security conference in Singapore: Beijing asserted that its forces are ready for war over Taiwan, while U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin chided China for its increasingly aggressive military actions in the region.
U.S. halts Russian arms inspections, data exchange on missile launches
June 1, 2023
Russian arms inspections under the New START arms accord were halted by the Biden administration Thursday in response to Moscow's suspension of the treaty, the State Department said.
Xi tells Communist Party security organs to prepare for 'worst-case' scenarios
June 1, 2023
Chinese President Xi Jinping urged top security officials of the ruling Communist Party this week to modernize the country's national security system and warned them to be ready for "worst-case" scenarios amid growing tensions with the United States.
Indo-Pacific commander warns China's leader on cost of war
May 31, 2023
Adm. John Aquilino, commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific command, recently warned Chinese President Xi Jinping that any attempt to take Taiwan by force would result in massive losses of "blood and treasure" for China.
Guardians of diversity? State Department seeks gender equality, inclusion in space
May 30, 2023
The State Department unveiled a new space diplomacy strategy on Tuesday in a bid to counter efforts by China and Russia to militarize space and challenge U.S. power.
U.S. sanctions Chinese, Mexicans over scheme to make fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills
May 30, 2023
The U.S. government on Tuesday imposed sanctions on 17 entities from China and Mexico for their alleged role in producing illicit fentanyl that has killed hundreds of thousands of Americans through drug overdoses.
China's growing arsenal boosts risk of nuclear war, study says
May 29, 2023
China's rapid large-scale buildup of nuclear missiles, submarines, bombers, including an orbiting nuclear strike weapon, is increasing the danger of nuclear war, according to a study.
China dismisses Biden statement on a coming thaw in U.S.-China relations
May 18, 2023
China's government has rejected President Biden's assertion that a thaw in tense U.S.-China relations is coming soon, with Beijing demanding an end to sanctions on Chinese officials and companies, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said.
China arrests stand-up comedian for joke about its military
May 18, 2023
China's military can't take a joke. The Communist government in Beijing took action against a stand-up comic who made fun of the People's Liberation Army during a recent comedy routine, according to reports from Asia.
NORAD says Russian nuclear bombers tracked near Alaska were not a threat
May 17, 2023
The U.S.-Canadian air defense command is downplaying two recent Russian military encounters near Alaska as nonthreatening -- despite one intrusion that included nuclear-capable bombers.
China sentences U.S. citizen to life in prison on espionage charges
May 15, 2023
A 78-year-old U.S. citizen has been sentenced to life in prison on espionage charges, Chinese state media reported Monday.
China expands targeting of U.S with Russian-style covert influence operations
May 12, 2023
China's government is expanding the use of covert influence operations targeting the United States and is expected to exploit the White House-congressional clash over the debt limit crisis as part of growing anti-U.S. activities, the director of national intelligence said.
Taiwan ambassador: China a threat, but island still open for business
May 9, 2023
Taiwan's democracy is confronting both military and "gray zone" information warfare threats from China and is adopting asymmetric weapons to defend itself, the country's unofficial ambassador to the United States said in an interview.
Risk of war with China over Taiwan is real, intel leaders warn
April 25, 2023
Threats from China and the potential of a war over Taiwan pose real dangers for the U.S., two top intelligence officials said during an annual briefing to Congress on Thursday.
U.S. to protect Philippines navy, coast guard ships from China under defense pact
May 1, 2023
U.S. forces will defend Philippines coast guard vessels used to resupply an unusual sea base in the disputed South China Sea under a U.S.-Philippines defense treaty, the State Department said.
U.S. nuclear missile sub seen in Guam on possible trip to South Korea
April 27, 2023
A U.S. Navy Ohio-class nuclear submarine arrived at the U.S. island of Guam recently and could be the first such submarine to sail to South Korea since the 1980s, under an agreement announced by Seoul and Washington on Wednesday.
Second House panel investigating China's U.S. police stations
April 25, 2023
The chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee wants the FBI and Department of Homeland Security to provide more information on suspected Chinese government police stations and other malign activities by Beijing in the United States.
Pentagon leak says China conducted first operation with new helicopter carrier
April 24, 2023
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, were briefed on intelligence regarding a new Chinese helicopter aircraft carrier that is poised to be a significant tool for Beijing's plan to project power in the region, according to a leaked Pentagon document.
Treasury Secretary Yellen extends olive branch with China policy speech
April 21, 2023
The Biden administration's top voice on economic policy called this week for a return to policies of greater economic and other engagement with China, despite Beijing's shift from market reforms and rising anti-U.S. sentiment in Beijing.
U.S. admiral: Risk of war with China is growing
April 18, 2023
The risk of a conflict with China is increasing as a result of aggressive activities by Beijing, the admiral in charge of U.S. forces in the Pacific told Congress on Tuesday.
U.S. Navy warship transits Taiwan Strait, in first passage since major Chinese drills
April 17, 2023
A U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer sailed through the Taiwan Strait on Monday a week after Beijing announced its coast guard dispatched a large ship to inspect vessels in the disputed waterway.
Russian space war prowess showcased in Ukraine conflict
April 14, 2023
Russia's military has deployed several cutting-edge space warfare tools during its nearly 15-month war in Ukraine, using its space assets for intelligence operations and to limit the Ukrainian military's battlefield command and control, according to a new report.
China's 'united front' influence operations seek to undermine American society, report warns
April 14, 2023
China's ruling Communist Party is engaged in systematic efforts to undermine American and Western societies through the operations of a party organ called the United Front Work Department, according to an extensive new think tank report.
Navy conducts warship passage in South China Sea amid Beijing tensions
April 10, 2023
A U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer sailed through a disputed area of the South China Sea on Monday, pushing back against territorial claims by China amid rising bilateral tensions, the 7th Fleet said in a statement.
Russian defector describes Putin as a paranoid war criminal
April 9, 2023
Russian President Vladimir Putin gets his information from intelligence reports and does not use a handheld device for communications, according to a former Federal Guard Service engineer who recently defected from Russia.
Military expert warns China is waging low-level war on America
April 7, 2023
Chinese military forces increased aerial and warship activity near Taiwan on The United States urgently needs to counter an ongoing, undeclared political war being waged by China, according to a new book by a retired Marine colonel and China expert.
China steps up incursions near Taiwan prior to Tsai-McCarthy meeting
April 4, 2023
Chinese military forces increased aerial and warship activity near Taiwan on Tuesday, one day before House Speaker Kevin McCarthy is set to meet the island's president in California, according to Taiwan defense authorities.
Protecting farmland: America pressed to weed China out of U.S. agriculture acreage
April 2, 2023
China's government is systematically buying U.S. farmland as part of a strategy to meet soaring domestic demand and bolster an agricultural sector beset by decreasing arable land and polluted water.
China poses 'existential' threat more dangerous than Soviet Union during Cold War: Report
April 2, 2023
The United States is engaged in a new Cold War with China and needs to counter the "existential" threat posed by the Chinese Communist Party to the United States and the world order it leads, according to a major new report by the conservative Heritage Foundation think tank.
White House Indo-Pac point man Campbell says China ties enter new phase of competition
March 30, 2023
Heightened tensions between the United States and China reflect a new phase of relations between the two powerful states, a senior White House official said Thursday.
State Department rejects Russian suspension of New START nuclear arms treaty
March 17, 2023
The State Department is rejecting Russia's suspension of the last Cold War nuclear arms treaty, saying the Kremlin's move is illegal.
Chinese military commanders refuse talks with U.S. admiral
March 16, 2023
Two Chinese military commanders are refusing to consult with the commander of the Pentagon's Indo-Pacific Command amid rising tensions between the two militaries, Adm. John C. Aquilino, the U.S. Pacific commander said Thursday in Singapore.
China, Russia deploying space weapons to attack U.S. satellites, warns Space Force chief
March 14, 2023
China's military has deployed 347 satellites, including 35 launched in the past six months, to target U.S. forces in a future conflict, the commander of the Space Force told a Senate hearing on Tuesday.
U.S., Britain commit to deploying nuclear subs to Australia with a eye to China's growth
March 13, 2023
The United States and Britain will deploy nuclear-powered attack submarines to Australia as part of the mini-alliance known as AUKUS, and Australia will buy up to five of the Navy's frontline Virginia-class nuclear submarines in the coming years, the Biden administration disclosed on Monday.
China outpacing U.S. in hypersonic missiles, Defense Intelligence Agency warns
March 10, 2023
China's military is deploying ultra-high-speed missiles at a rate that poses an increasing threat of nuclear and conventional attacks on the United States, a senior Defense Intelligence Agency official told Congress on Friday.
Pentagon says Russia supplying fuel for Chinese nuclear warheads
March 8, 2023
The Pentagon expressed concern Wednesday that Russia is supplying uranium for Chinese reactors that are producing plutonium for warheads as part of Beijing large-scale nuclear build-up.
Chinese foreign minister warns U.S. policies pushing countries toward war
March 7, 2023
China's foreign minister said Tuesday that U.S. efforts to contain and pressure his country will lead to confrontation and conflict unless Washington changes its policies.
Construction begins on Nevada lithium mine despite fierce legal battles
March 4, 2023
A construction firm has pushed aside legal roadblocks and begun work on what is being called America's largest lithium mine, a project backed by the Biden administration but opposed by leftist environmentalist groups and some American Indians.
Code Pink protesters disrupt inaugural House China committee hearing
Feb. 28, 2023
Two Code Pink activists attempted to disrupt the inaugural hearing of a House select committee on the Chinese Communist Party and were escorted out by security officials.
Hill Republicans fault Biden administration efforts to meet China threats
Feb. 28, 2023
The Commerce Department approved sales of sensitive U.S. technology to China worth $23 billion during a six-month period last year, despite an announced policy by the Biden administration to prevent American know-how from being used to bolster the Chinese military.
Navy intel chief warns the U.S. is naive about threat from China
Feb. 27, 2023
American political leaders and the general population are suffering from "China blindness," failing to understand the nature of the threat to U.S. security posed by the communist regime, according to the admiral in charge of naval intelligence.
Attacks on U.S. electric power grid expected to grow
Feb. 23, 2023
Service-disrupting attacks on the U.S. electrical power grid are expected to increase in the coming years, a new report by a leading industry group is warning.
Pompeo's memoir details dramatic shift in U.S. policy toward China
Feb. 21, 2023
Chinese President Xi Jinping is the world's "most dangerous" leader and ultimately wants to rule the world, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo writes in a new memoir detailing his four years as a top intelligence and diplomatic voice in the Trump administration.
Russian suspension of New START latest blow to Biden's arms control hopes
Feb. 21, 2023
President Vladimir Putin's announcement Tuesday that Russia was "suspending" its adherence to the New START arms treaty is the latest blow to the Biden administration's battered arms control agenda.
Biden administration backs curbs on military artificial intelligence uses
Feb. 16, 2023
The Biden administration on Thursday announced a proposed arms control agreement to limit the use of artificial intelligence and autonomy for the world's military forces and weapons systems.
Rising red threat as China now outpaces U.S. in intercontinental-ballistic missile launchers
Feb. 12, 2023
Senior Republicans on the House and Senate Armed Services committees disclosed last week that China's rapidly expanding nuclear forces now exceed the number of U.S. intercontinental-ballistic missile launchers, with little indication that Beijing plans to slow the buildup of its strategic forces.
Chinese military confirms snub of U.S. Defense Secretary Austin's call over balloon
Feb. 9, 2023
China's Defense Ministry acknowledged Thursday it refused to accept a phone call from Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin following the shootdown of a surveillance balloon over the Atlantic last week.
Balloons serve multiple roles in Chinese warfare
Feb. 6, 2023
China's People's Liberation Army plans to use high-altitude balloons to counter long-range U.S. drones, launch psychological warfare operations and gather intelligence, a review of Chinese military and technical writings reveals.
China: U.S. violated 'international practice' in shooting down spy balloon
Feb. 5, 2023
China expressed outrage Sunday over the U.S. military's shooting down a day earlier of a Chinese spy balloon off the coast of South Carolina, as the Navy began retrieving wreckage from the Atlantic Ocean and the political rhetoric ramped up in Washington.
White House calls Chinese balloon flight over U.S. 'unacceptable' violation of sovereignty
Feb. 3, 2023
The Biden administration on Friday said China's dispatch of a high-altitude surveillance balloon over American airspace violated U.S. sovereignty and was "unacceptable," brushing aside a Chinese apology and Beijing's claim that the high-altitude aerostat was an errant weather balloon.
China held Taiwan war council in October, general's memo reveals
Feb. 2, 2023
The four-star Air Force general who predicted a likely war with China within two years also revealed in his memo that Chinese President Xi Jinping has convened a "war council" of senior military leaders on Taiwan.
U.S. says Russia violating last major arms treaty
Jan. 31, 2022
The Biden administration on Tuesday formally accused Russia of violating the New START arms treaty over what it said was Moscow's failure to allow inspections of weapons sites or agree to meetings on treaty disputes.
Global militaries go on shopping spree at U.S. arms expo, spurred by threats from China and Russia
Jan. 23, 2022
Russia's war in Ukraine and China's growing threats against Taiwan have sent militaries from both regions on shopping sprees in an unlikely locale: the No. 1 gambling destination in the U.S.
No kickbacks: A high-tech recoilless rifle could be in the Army's future
Jan. 19, 2022
LAS VEGAS -- Army troops in the future may very well go into combat armed with a high-technology rifle that produces almost no kick and can be outfitted with electronics capable of seeing around corners, according to the co-inventors.
Nimitz carrier strike group sails in disputed South China Sea
Jan. 13, 2022
An aircraft carrier strike group led by the USS Nimitz is conducting operations in the disputed South China Sea, including practice strike missions by aircraft, the Navy disclosed Friday.
China's military threatens Taiwan takeover in music video
Jan. 13, 2022
China's military released a music video this week highlighting stepped-up operations by Chinese warplanes and warships around Taiwan.
U.S. defeats China in simulated war over Taiwan, but costs are high, says new study on risks
Jan. 9, 2022
A sophisticated new study of a simulated war between China and the U.S. over Taiwan reveals Chinese forces would be defeated in the conflict but with a high cost in casualties and heavy losses of U.S. and allied large ships and aircraft, according to a think tank report made public Monday.
How China pirated U.S. technology to rapidly expand its nuclear weapon arsenal
Jan. 5, 2022
Beijing's rapid buildup of nuclear forces has been assisted by American nuclear and missile technology obtained by Chinese spies and through U.S. space and nuclear cooperation in the 1990s, according to a review of Chinese technology records and internal U.S. government documents.
U.S. Navy warship sails through Taiwan Strait amid rising tensions
Jan. 5, 2022
A U.S. Navy warship sailed through the Taiwan Strait on Thursday in what Pentagon officials said was a demonstration of the U.S. commitment to keep the waterway that separates Taiwan from mainland China open to international traffic.
U.S. rejects China's claim American pilot to blame for near collision over South China Sea
Jan. 3, 2023
The Chinese military jet pilot who nearly collided with a U.S. reconnaissance aircraft last month was solely responsible for the dangerous encounter, a spokesman for the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said Tuesday
China's nukes use U.S. technology
Jan. 3, 2023
Beijing's rapid buildup of nuclear forces has been assisted by American nuclear and missile technology obtained by Chinese spies and through U.S. space and nuclear cooperation in the 1990s, according to a review of Chinese technology records and internal U.S. government documents.
Once-secret files reveal new details of CIA's divisive defector dispute
Jan. 1, 2023
Once-secret government documents reveal long-hidden details on one of the CIA's most prominent Cold War controversies, involving defecting Soviet intelligence agents and U.S. counterspy programs targeting the Kremlin's strategic deception operations against the West.
A red threat lurking beneath the sea: China dramatically ramping up submarine fleet
Jan. 1, 2023
China's military is building up its submarine forces as a priority for its large-scale military modernization, according to the latest annual Pentagon report on the Chinese military.