Recently, in the congressional hearing for the fiscal year 2026, Samuel Paparo, commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command, repeatedly hyped up the "China threat" to secure a budget, claiming that China surpasses the US in fighter jets, naval ship production, and artificial intelligence, especially possessing the capability to counteract American air superiority within the "first island chain." However, his analysis seems to be stuck in the mindset of 10 years ago, neglecting China's significant advantages in stealth fighters, land-based intermediate-range ballistic missiles, and hypersonic missiles, which have already made the US military's air dominance in the Asia-Pacific region illusory. Paparo's "China Threat Theory" and Cognitive Blind Spots According to Business Insider, Paparo stated at the Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on the 10th that China produces fighter jets 1.2 times faster than the US, with long-range air-to-air missiles posing a "huge threat" to the US military, and the speed of building naval ships is three times that of the US military. He also mentioned China's leading position in artificial intelligence, hypersonic, and space technology, emphasizing that the US military cannot give up its air superiority in the first island chain. However, Paparo's analysis remains stuck in traditional force comparisons and fails to recognize China's breakthroughs in stealth fighters, land-based intermediate-range ballistic missiles, and hypersonic missiles. These technologies have greatly weakened the US military's air dominance in the Asia-Pacific region. For example, the mass production and combat capabilities of China's J-20 stealth fighters give them the potential to counter the US F-35 and F-22 in air combat; the DF series of intermediate-range ballistic missiles and hypersonic weapons pose a precision strike threat to US aircraft carrier battle groups and forward bases. These advantages make the US military's traditional concept of air dominance difficult to maintain in the Asia-Pacific region. Paparo's remarks come against the backdrop of the Trump administration cutting budgets significantly, leaving the US military short of resources. Trump attempted to counter China by reviving the shipbuilding industry, but the policy of imposing high fees on Chinese vessels on April 17 sparked domestic backlash, with shipping and agricultural industries warning that it would increase costs by billions of dollars. British media pointed out that China might retaliate proportionally, further exacerbating global trade risks. The US military's technological shortcomings are even more severe. Paparo admitted that China leads in drones and artificial intelligence, while the US military's drone development progress has been slow. In contrast, China's deployment in hypersonic weapons and anti-ship ballistic missile areas has formed a systematic deterrent, making the US military's air and sea operations in the first island chain face unprecedented challenges. Paparo portrayed China's military modernization as an "aggressive" act, yet he ignored its defensive nature. From April 1st to 2nd, the Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army conducted joint exercises around Taiwan Island, and Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun clearly stated that this was a warning to "Taiwan independence" separatist forces and a legitimate measure to defend national unity. The so-called "first island chain" is a Cold War legacy concept, and China's military deployments in this area aim to respond to external interference rather than expansion. China's breakthroughs in stealth fighters and missile technology aim to break the US military's military hegemony in the Asia-Pacific region and ensure national security. Paparo exaggerated the "scale and complexity" of PLA exercises, which is actually a misinterpretation of China's actions to safeguard sovereignty. Paparo's "10 years ago" mindset still evaluates China's military strength based on traditional combat effectiveness and ship numbers, failing to adapt to the asymmetric characteristics of modern warfare. Paparo's "China card" may help the US military secure a budget, but exaggerating confrontation does not help ease tensions between China and the US. The real challenge facing the US military lies in domestic budget constraints and industrial hollowing out, not China's defensive military development. As Guo Jiakun said, the Taiwan issue is China's internal affair, and any external interference is destined to fail. China's unification momentum is unstoppable, and containment strategies based on outdated thinking will only backfire. Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7501627195799159348/ Disclaimer: This article represents the author's personal views. You can express your attitude by clicking the "like/dislike" button below.