China outpacing US in warship production, Navy secretary warns

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China outpacing US in war ship production, Navy secretary warns

U.S. Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro said Tuesday that China is outpacing the U.S. in war ship production. (National Press Club)

The United States is falling behind the People's Republic of China in the production of military ocean vessels, according to the head of the U.S. Navy.

Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro spoke Tuesday at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.

During his remarks, he warned that the Chinese military was producing warships at a greater pace than the U.S., jeopardizing American supremacy on the seas.

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Carlos Del Toro, secretary of the Navy (Stimson Center)

"It is no secret that the People’s Republic of China seeks to upend our dominance on the oceans across the globe," said Del Toro. "The People’s Liberation Army Navy has added over 100 combatants to its fleet – a naval buildup that is a key component of its increasingly aggressive military posture globally."

Del Toro noted that China currently possesses approximately 340 ships and is seeking to add 100 more by 2030.

This possible shift in naval dominance, Del Toro warned, could begin to reshape the world order.

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Warships of Chinese Navy take part in a joint naval exercise in the East China Sea. Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro warned Tuesday that Chinese naval power is rapidly increasing and threatening U.S. naval supremacy. (Li Yun/Xinhua via Getty Images)

"China’s disregard for the rules-based international order is particularly troubling in the maritime domain, from the Taiwan Straits to the high seas," the Navy secretary said.

He continued, "The values espoused by the Chinese Communist Party are incompatible with individual liberty, with democracy, and with respect for human rights. This is about the future of humanity and of our planet."

China's military strength has become increasingly relevant to international disputes as the Asian superpower continues to flex its muscles on the world stage.

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Members of the Chinese Navy stand on the deck of the guided-missile destroyer Suzhou at a military port in Zhoushan, China. (VCG/VCG via Getty Images)

Nearly two dozen Chinese military aircraft and ships were detected around Taiwan this month after the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps held joint exercises in the South China Sea over the weekend. 

China's incursions have become an almost daily occurrence in recent months.

Fox News' Paul Best contributed to this report.