The report, produced each year by the Pentagon, warns Beijing is gearing up for conflict — potentially over Taiwan — within the next two years.

Taiwan in the crosshairs

The 2025 report reveals the People’s Liberation Army is aligning its forces to give Chinese President Xi Jinping credible military options against Taiwan by 2027, as pressure on the self-ruled island continues to intensify. “China expects to be able to fight and win a war on Taiwan by the end of 2027,” the report said.

US homeland ‘increasingly vulnerable’

China’s historic military buildup includes rapid expansion of nuclear forces, hypersonic weapons, long-range missiles, cyber warfare units and space capabilities — developments the Pentagon says now place the US homeland at growing risk.

Pacific power grab

The report warns Beijing is pushing to dominate the Indo-Pacific’s First Island Chain, stretching from Japan through Southeast Asia, as part of a broader strategy to reshape the global balance of power.

Cyber and space battlefields

Chinese cyber operations have targeted US infrastructure and military networks, while space systems are increasingly integrated into Beijing’s warfighting plans, the Pentagon said.