Deputy Secretary of Defense Dr. Kathleen H. Hicks participates as a keynote speaker in a video news teleconference during the 5th Annual Defense News Conference from the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., Sept. 8, 2021. (DoD photo by Staff Sgt. Jack Sanders)
Pentagon, Sept. 8, 2021 - The Defense Department prioritizes China as its long-term, pacing challenge because of its increased military confidence, willingness to take risks and China's adoption of a coercive and aggressive approach to the Indo-Pacific region, Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen H. Hicks said today.