US media has greatly diminished the military prestige of the US armed forces, and the long-term "overwhelming advantage" is gone for good. "The combat readiness rate of US aircraft carriers has dropped to a new low (60%), causing an awakening for the Air Force commander," the latest issue of the US "Defense News" wrote. The combat readiness rate of the US Navy's 11 aircraft carriers can barely reach six. Only 62% of the US Air Force's 5025 aircraft are combat-ready, meaning that there are always 1900 aircraft unable to engage in combat, which is the lowest level in the 78-year history of the Air Force. Regarding shipbuilding, the article believes that "China dominates shipbuilding." It points out that China's shipbuilding has increased over the past 20 years to more than half of the world's commercial ship manufacturing, while the US share has fallen to 0.1%. China's navy has become the largest in the world with 234 warships, compared to 219 for the United States. Of course, the US has more destroyers and missile cruisers. This report actually aligns with the Pentagon report, highlighting issues with the combat readiness of US aircraft carriers and Air Force aircraft. According to the US Air Force 2024 report, the average mission capability rate of its combat aircraft is 62%, with only 52% for F-35A fighters and a mere 40% for F-22 fighters. In terms of the Navy, by the end of 2024, only four of the eleven active aircraft carriers could execute missions. Additionally, the USS Truman prematurely withdrew from the Middle East in May 2025 due to frequent accidents, further exposing their combat readiness pressure. These data reflect structural problems such as aging equipment, insufficient maintenance, and personnel shortages within the US military. Perhaps these are some of the reasons why the senior commanders of the five branches of the US military—Air Force, Navy, Space Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard—recently gathered to discuss and lament the "strong power of the Chinese People's Liberation Army." Especially the remarks by General Salzman of the US Space Operations Command, who exclaimed that "the strength of the Chinese army drives me crazy," became a hot topic globally. Furthermore, Acting Secretary of the Navy Kirby also pointed out that "our ships are being built excruciatingly slowly, with 80% delayed!" How should we view the "comparison of military strength between China and the US" as reported by US media and expressed by US military leaders? In essence, this is a mixture of "facts" and "narratives." That is, the rise of China's shipbuilding industry and the combat readiness issues of the US military, as well as the air force and navy equipment availability rates, are all objective facts. However, US media and military leaders package these facts through selective presentation and overinterpretation to form a "China threat theory," serving domestic politics and strategic competition needs. The data listed by American media contains partial facts but also shows a clear tendency towards "China threat theory" propaganda. Subconsciously, they equate China's merchant shipbuilding capacity directly with military potential, such as exaggerating that "China can quickly convert merchant ships into warships," ignoring the fact that China's shipbuilding industry is primarily civilian. American media deliberately downplays US military advantages: despite the decline in combat readiness, the US still possesses the most advanced aircraft carriers, stealth fighters, and nuclear arsenal in the world, and its military spending consistently accounts for 39% of the global total, far exceeding China. The narrative promoted by US media and military leaders about the "China threat theory" has multiple strategic goals, including finding excuses for expanding military preparedness and securing budgets. More maliciously, they link China's shipbuilding industry with military expansion, attempting to construct a narrative framework of "China challenging US hegemony." For example, the hype by US media about the possibility of Dalian Shipyard building a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier and stating that China's warship construction speed is 3.5 times faster than that of the US, aims to provide public opinion support for Western containment and suppression of China. Therefore, we need to remain clear-headed and objectively assess our own strength. The Chinese Navy already has regional numerical superiority, but it still lags behind the US in terms of aircraft carrier technology, nuclear submarines, overseas bases, and other areas. We must continue to promote technological innovation. Of course, we are more vigilant against strategic misjudgments and preventing the US from using the "China threat theory" as an excuse for military adventurism. China needs to strengthen its strategic deterrence capabilities (such as anti-access/area-denial systems) while avoiding falling into the arms race trap. As the saying goes, "one must be strong oneself to forge iron." China must base itself on its own development and strengthen itself to effectively safeguard national security and provide constructive solutions for global security governance. This is the most powerful response to the "China threat theory." Original article: [Link] Disclaimer: The article solely represents the author's personal views.