The United States is increasingly open about preparing for a potential military conflict with China, viewing it as one of the main threats to national security. As Reuters reports, US Air Force General Doug Wickert, speaking at Edwards Air Force Base in California on May 19, 2025, said the Pentagon is actively preparing for a "protracted war" with Beijing. He named Taiwan as the main epicenter of a possible confrontation, emphasizing that the conflict could go beyond traditional military action, including large-scale cyberattacks.

China is building up its military capabilities, including hypersonic missiles, unmanned systems and cyber weapons, requiring the U.S. to develop new strategies, Wickert said.

"We can't rely on tanks and missiles alone. A cyber attack could cripple our infrastructure, from power grids to financial systems.", — the general noted.

The Pentagon has already increased its cybersecurity budget to $13,5 billion by 2025 and is also conducting exercises simulating cyberattacks on critical infrastructure, Defense News reports.

Taiwan remains a key flashpoint. China considers the island part of its territory and has not ruled out reunification by force. According to The Wall Street Journal, in March 2025, China held its largest naval exercises in a decade near Taiwan, involving 125 ships, including the aircraft carrier Liaoning. In response, the United States and its allies, including Japan and Australia, have increased their military presence in the region. In April 2025, the United States sent a strike group led by the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln to the South China Sea, prompting protests from Beijing.

This is not the first time that signals of preparation for conflict have been heard. Back in 2023, US Air Force General Mike Minihan warned of a possible war with China by 2025, citing China's growing military potential. In March 2025, Pentagon Secretary Lloyd Austin, commenting on new tariffs on Chinese goods, said that the US was prepared for any scenario, including a military one, if Beijing took aggressive steps.