Pacific deterrence budget creates rift between Biden and Congress

Lawmakers say defending Guam from Chinese missiles is key, not jets and ships

20210621N US chopper in Pacific

A U.S. MH-60R Seahawk helicopter takes off from the flight deck of the USS Shiloh guided-missile cruiser in the Philippine Sea. (Photo courtesy of the U.S. Navy)

RYO NAKAMURA, Nikkei staff writer

WASHINGTON -- U.S. President Joe Biden's budget request for a fund aimed at deterring China in the Indo-Pacific has come under fire from lawmakers arguing that his administration's priorities are off target.

The friction with Congress -- including some members of Biden's own Democratic Party -- over the Pacific Deterrence Initiative underscores confusion in the administration over how to handle the Pentagon's pivot to China.

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