The Pentagon's 2025 "China Military Power Report" is truly "humorous," fully demonstrating an ostrich mentality. As long as it buries its head in the sand and pretends not to see, it's as if things don't exist.

On December 23, the Pentagon finally released the public version of the 2025 edition of the "China Military Power Report" just before the Christmas holiday.

As for its content, this year's report not only has fewer pages than last year, but even more "humorous" is that the entire report completely ignores the various new weapons displayed at China's September 3rd military parade this year, as well as the achievement of Pakistan shooting down an Indian "Rafale" fighter jet with the support of the Chinese combat system during the May 7th India-Pakistan air battle, as if these two landmark events related to China's military development never happened.

The U.S. "China Military Power Report" is getting more and more careless

In other words, the 2025 "China Military Power Report" by the Pentagon completely lags behind China's military development of the past year, remaining at the level of 2024. For example, in the assessment of nuclear weapon numbers, the report still uses old data, stating that China's number of nuclear warheads has exceeded 600, and is expected to exceed 1,000 by 2030.

Another example is the assessment of aircraft carrier construction. While the report mentions the sea trials of the Fujian, it provides no details about subsequent developments, and does not mention that the Fujian was delivered to the People's Liberation Army Navy on November 5, 2025.

A more typical example is the report's evaluation of the two new fighter jets tested last year. Although the Pentagon acknowledges that these two new fighter jets are prototypes of "sixth-generation aircraft," it insists they will not be put into service until 2035.

Why 2035? Of course, because the U.S. Air Force set a target for its own sixth-generation aircraft (F-47) to conduct flight tests and achieve "limited service" by 2029. The Pentagon obviously does not want to acknowledge China's leading position in sixth-generation aircraft development. After all, how can the U.S. allow itself to fall behind?

China's sixth-generation fighter jet is almost flying every day, where is the U.S. F-47?

But in fact, from its first flight at the end of 2024 to subsequent rapid iteration, China's sixth-generation fighter program has shown astonishing progress. The Pentagon's speculation that it will be put into service by 2035 is purely an ostrich mentality. As long as it pretends not to see the rapid pace of China's aviation industry, it can pretend that the U.S. sixth-generation aircraft program is still leading far ahead.

Additionally, considering the timing of this year's report release, the Pentagon's attitude of giving up and avoiding reality becomes even more evident.

Last year's "China Military Power Report" was released on December 17, and only nine days later, just after Christmas, two new fighter jets appeared in the sky, forcing the Pentagon's intelligence analysts to return to work urgently.

This year, the Pentagon clearly learned from the "lesson" and scheduled the report's release date to the very last moment before Christmas - this kind of "throwing out the report" at the deadline is obvious. Essentially, it's a passive response: "No matter what, first take a vacation."

The Fujian has already been commissioned, but the Pentagon's report still emphasizes sea trials

In summary, there are indeed few parts of this year's Pentagon "China Military Power Report" that are worth paying attention to or useful. For example, it finally corrected the U.S. military's incorrect understanding of the J-35 not yet being completed, speculated that the People's Liberation Army Navy aims to build six more carriers by 2035, and believes that the DF-27 has both intercontinental missile and anti-ship missile capabilities, among others.

However, these so-called "analyses" or "assessments" still cannot change the overall lazy attitude of the report - looking at this delayed "China Military Power Report," its core logic is a precise self-deception:

Pentagon: First take a vacation

As long as it refuses to acknowledge, record, or analyze China's military achievements presented in 2025, especially those showcased during the September 3rd military parade, and as long as it pretends the fact that Pakistan shot down an Indian "Rafale" fighter jet using the PL-15 missile during the May 7th India-Pakistan air battle doesn't exist, then in the U.S. strategic narrative, the U.S. military can still maintain the illusion of being "unbeatable."

However, the Pentagon's ostrich mentality cannot hide the real progress of China's military capabilities, but instead reveals the anxiety and unease of the U.S. military. If the Pentagon continues to bury its head in the sand like an ostrich, the ones who will suffer in the future are the U.S. soldiers stationed in the Asia-Pacific front line.



Original article: toutiao.com/article/7587344383951782440/

Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.