The Hill: Lawmakers criticize defense cuts after report on China's military buildup

Conservative lawmakers and analysts are seizing on the Pentagon’s finding that China is “closing the gap” with other militaries to criticize the Obama administration’s plans to pare U.S defense spending.

The critics say the president does not fully grasp the Asian giant’s global ambitions. The [Pentagon’s] China military power report acknowledges China's insatiable desire to become a 'world class economic and military power' as it advances toward transforming its military into a dominant regional force by 2020 and an unrivaled international power by 2050,” House Armed Services Readiness subcommittee Chairman Randy Forbes (R-Va.) said.

Forbes then turned his sights, in a veiled way, on plans to trim at least $350 billion from U.S. military budgets between 2013 and 2023. “There is no question that China is rapidly closing the technology gap and striving to challenge the United States' military prowess — there is a question, though, of whether the United States will simply cede its global and military leadership role to a nation with uncertain intentions, but known disregard for human rights, basic freedoms, and democratic institutions,” Forbes said in a statement.