WASHINGTON, April 1. /TASS/. The Asia-Pacific region (APAC) and the containment of China are top priorities for the US military, US President Donald Trump's nominee for chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Dan Caine, said.
"The Indo-Pacific region is a top priority for a U.S. military, with China presenting a significant and evolving challenge," he noted in a written response to questions from US legislators. This document was prepared ahead of hearings on his nomination in the US Senate Committee on Armed Services at the US Congress.
According to Caine, "the threat posed by China to American interests in the Indo-Pacific is real and growing." "The U.S. needs to work with Allies and Partners to deter China’s aggression in this region," he believes. That said, Caine criticized the current operations of the US military-industrial complex, opining that it is outdated. From his point of view, "unfortunately, at this critical moment, the Joint Force is contending with an acquisition process and Defense Industrial Base that are not optimized for protracted conflict." "The U.S. does not have the throughput, responsiveness, or agility needed to deter our adversaries," he believes.
Caine retired from the military in December in the rank of lieutenant general, having served in the US Air Force. According to US law, only a four-star general can serve as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Caine never attained this rank but the US president has the right to waive this requirement in certain cases. If his nomination is approved by the Senate, Caine will be reinstated in the military service and automatically become a four-star general.