The primary focal point of U.S. defense planning and budget allocation revolves around the ongoing modernization of China's military, specifically emphasizing its naval capabilities. This endeavor has been in progress for approximately three decades, commencing in the early to mid-1990s, and has led to a substantial enhancement of China's naval power, rendering it significantly more modern and proficient. Within China's nearby maritime territories, the Chinese navy has emerged as a potent military force, and its operational scope is expanding steadily into the broader expanses of the Western Pacific, the Indian Ocean, and waters in the vicinity of Europe, as detailed in the US Naval Institute report to Congress on Chinese naval modernization.
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