China's Rapid Expansion Forces US and Allies to Reassess Regional Strategy Amid Growing Threats

The US, UK, and democracies across the Indo-Pacific are rethinking deterrence as China expands its military power. At this year’s Shangri-La Dialogue, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned that Beijing’s actions reveal a lack of respect for neighbors and challenge sovereignty, freedom of navigation, and overflight. The strategic landscape is shifting around two central realities: China’s accelerating military-industrial output and the emergence of new frontline actors essential to preserving regional stability.