US Defense Department has launched a new task force to review the national security aspects of the White House China strategy, as part of a broader administration effort to determine its approach to countering Beijing.

Iran Press/America:  US President Joe Biden described the effort Wednesday during his first visit to the Pentagon, where he met with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley, and other top officials.

The China task force will study the military’s footprint in Asia, technology, intelligence, the role of allies and partnerships, and other areas of the strategy, the US administration officials said.

The group will work over the next several months and will be led by Austin’s top assistant on China, Ely Ratner, a longtime Biden aide, and China specialist.

The task force will include more than a dozen civilians and military officers from across the Pentagon, including policy officials and members of the Joint Staff, the officials said. It is expected to give a series of recommendations to Austin by early summer, one US official said.

The idea behind the task force is to coordinate the various functions of government, including economic, political, diplomatic, and military aspects, to form a coherent policy to counter China, seen as the main US rival on economic, political, and security matters, officials said.

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