Pentagon to spend US$12 billion on surveillance over China’s military build-up in Asia

The move targets Chinese manoeuvres, submarines and satellites in the Indo-Pacific, and strikes a contrast with Trump’s call for closer tiesPublished: 2:05am, 26 Feb 2026Updated: 2:57am, 26 Feb 2026The Pentagon plans to spend an additional US$12.6 billion to improve surveillance of China’s military manoeuvres, submarines and satellites as the US tries to counter the “unprecedented Chinese military build-up” in Asia, according to a budget document sent to Congress.The funds, approved by Congress outside the normal budget process, are designed to improve US military readiness, offensive cyber capabilities and surveillance efforts across the Indo-Pacific. It will also help expand operations of a classified Boeing spacecraft.The China-focused expenditures are detailed in a new 85-page document sent to Congress earlier this month that spells out how the Department of Defence plans to allocate almost US$152 billion passed in last year’s massive tax-and-spending package.That is separate from the formal US$893 billion fiscal 2026 defence spending measure Congress passed in January.The document says the new funds “are dedicated to improving critical DoD efforts in the Indo-Pacific-command" class="entity-link entity-organization" data-entity-id="27987" data-entity-type="organization">US Indo-Pacific Command area of responsibility to counter the unprecedented Chinese military build-up and the growing threats to US security interests and economic prosperity in the region”.00:44CIA targets Chinese military officers in new recruitment videoCIA targets Chinese military officers in new recruitment videoThe Chinese embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday.