Verbatim

Outnumbered

China already has a bigger hacking program than every other major nation combined. In fact, if each one of the FBI’s cyber agents and intelligence analysts focused on China exclusively, Chinese hackers would still outnumber our cyber personnel by at least 50:1. Let me say that again: 50:1. With AI, China is now in position to try to close the cycle—to use the fruits of their widespread hacking to power, with AI, even-more-powerful hacking efforts.

FBI Director Christopher Wray, comments about China’s cyber threats at a conference hosted by cybersecurity company Mandiant [The Washington Post, Oct. 20].

Bogged Down

We just don’t have the capacity to do both the modernization effort and the current ops effort. And this isn’t just the Space Force. This is every service. This is the Department of Defense. … That’s going to be a challenge in the future.

Chief of Space Operations Gen. B. Chance Saltzman, at the Center for a New American Security [Oct. 18].

Acquisition Disruption

The professional relationship I hold as my highest priority is the one between my agency and the warfighter. To deliver on my end of that relationship, we have no choice but to change. Change is hard; change is necessary. And nothing fights change like the paralyzing behavior of going along to get along. … I will continue to be a ‘Maverick,’ a ‘wild card,’ and a ‘bad cop.’ I encourage all patriots to join with me as we arrest the status quo!

LinkedIn post Oct. 5 by Space Development Agency Director Derek Tournear.

Getting Bigger

What they’re doing now, if you compare it to what they were doing about a decade ago, it really far exceeds that in terms of scale and complexity. They’re expanding and investing in their land, sea, and air base nuclear delivery platforms, as well as the infrastructure that’s required to support this major expansion of their nuclear forces.

Senior U.S. defense official, speaking on the condition of anonymity under terms set by the Pentagon, about China’s nuclear arsenal on track to double to 1,000 warheads by 2030 [The Washington Post, Oct. 20].

It’s All Hype

China is committed to a defensive nuclear strategy, keeps its nuclear capabilities at the minimum level required by national security, and does not target any country. We firmly oppose the U.S. side hyping up various versions of the ‘China threat’ narrative and making groundless allegations.

Liu Pengyu, spokesman for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, responding to U.S. comments about China’s expanding nuclear arsenal [The Washington Post, Oct. 20].

My Turf

Just so we’re clear. … The pressure we’re seeing is only from the [People’s Republic of China]. Their objective is … to force the United States out of the region. And that’s just not gonna happen.

Adm. John C. Aquilino, Commander, U.S. Indo- Pacific Command, on aggressive and unsafe air-to-air intercepts of U.S. reconnaissance aircraft by Chinese fighters over the South China Sea [The Washington Post, Oct. 17].