A top U.S. Marine Corps general has issued a stark warning that China should now be treated as America’s military equal, intensifying concerns about a shifting global balance of power. Lieutenant General Stephen Sklenka told the Modern Day Marine Expo that Beijing’s rapid shipbuilding, expanding ballistic missile and nuclear submarine programs, and use of AI and drone swarms mean China contests the United States across nearly every domain. Sklenka said future conflict with China could dwarf current fighting with Iran, stressing that bases must be hardened against cyber and non-kinetic attacks and treated as warfighting formations. His comments come days after President Trump praised talks with Xi Jinping, highlighting a widening gap between diplomatic gestures and military realities. Analysts warn the warning elevates pressure on Pentagon planning, force posture in the Pacific, and U.S. investment in resilient infrastructure, counter-drone systems and advanced deterrents. With stakes high for nuclear forces, maritime supremacy and technological edge, Washington faces urgent choices to sustain power projection and deter a peer adversary.
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