Pentagon rattled by Chinese military push on multiple fronts

By ROBERT BURNS
AP National Security Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — China’s growing military muscle and its drive to end U.S. predominance in the Asia-Pacific is rattling the U.S. defense establishment. American officials see trouble on multiple fronts — an expanding Chinese nuclear arsenal, advances in its space, cyber and missile technologies, and threats to Taiwan. The vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. John Hyten, says the pace at which China is moving “is stunning.” The latest example of surprising speed was China’s recent test of a hypersonic weapon capable of partially orbiting Earth before reentering the atmosphere and gliding on a maneuverable path to its target.