US military commanders in the Pacific region have developed a software tool to predict how the Chinese government will respond to US actions in the region, such as arms sales, US-supported military activities, and even Congress’ visits to hot spots such as Taiwan.
On Tuesday (December 14), U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks was briefed on the new tools during a visit to U.S. Indo-Pacific Command in Hawaii.
“As the scope of conflicts and challenges gradually expand into the gray area. What you see is the need to look at a broader set of indicators, weave them together, and then understand the interaction of threats,” Hicks was on a trip to California. Said in an interview on a military plane.
A defense official said the tool calculates “strategic friction.” It looks at data since the beginning of 2020 and assesses major events affecting U.S.-China relations. This computer-based system will help the Pentagon predict whether certain actions will cause a strong response from China.
In October, the Chinese military condemned the United States and Canada for sending their warships through the Taiwan Strait, saying that they were threatening peace and stability in the region. The US official said that this and other similar incidents stimulated demand for the tool to ensure that the United States does not inadvertently annoy China because of its actions.
Although the relationship between the United States and China is already at a low point, the tool provides visibility into various activities, such as Congress’ visits to Taiwan, the sale of weapons to allies in the region, or the possibility of anger when several American ships sail across the Taiwan Strait. An oversized or unintentional Chinese reaction in Taiwan.
China claims that democratically ruled Taiwan is its own territory, and has carried out air force missions to the Taiwan Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) many times in the past year, angering Taipei.
The official said the new software will enable US officials to predict planned actions four months in advance.
Hicks is visiting US bases this week, and the Biden administration’s 2023 budget draft is taking shape. The Ministry of Defense hopes to use budget funds to deter the Chinese and Russian military.
