Duval Times

U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) has raised concerns over the participation of China's People’s Liberation Army (PLA) in Operation Formosa, an annual military exercise hosted by Brazil that includes several nations, including the United States. In a letter to U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, Rubio expressed apprehension about the potential risks posed by China’s involvement.

“This threat is amplified when U.S. forces participate in the same exercise as the PLA, as it creates additional opportunities for China to observe and exploit our strategies, even if the forces are not directly engaging with one another,” wrote Rubio. “The risk of not only the PRC obtaining knowledge of U.S. military capabilities and tactics but sharing such knowledge with other malign actors should not be understated.”

Rubio emphasized that although the Department of Defense (DoD) has assured that U.S. and PLA forces will not train together during Operation Formosa, the presence of Chinese forces still poses significant national security risks. He highlighted China's history of using military exercises to gather intelligence on U.S. operations and strategic planning.

“The DoD consistently messages that the PRC is our country’s pacing threat and should be treated as such,” he continued in his letter.

The senator pointed out that China uses its military interactions with other nations to undermine U.S. leadership across various domains—military, diplomatic, and economic—and gains valuable insights into allied operations through these engagements.

According to Rubio, recent developments underscore this threat: “News of the PLA’s involvement in Operation Formosa comes directly as the PRC participates in the massive Russian military exercise ‘Ocean-24’ that dictator Vladimir Putin claims is the largest exercise of its kind in three decades.”

In his letter, Rubio requested detailed information from Secretary Austin on measures being taken to mitigate any transfer of sensitive U.S. military knowledge to China during these exercises.

Rubio's inquiries included questions about when Secretary Austin was first made aware of China's participation, how close PLA forces would be to U.S. troops during exercises, communications between DoD and Brazilian authorities regarding restrictions on engagements, and specific precautions being implemented to protect sensitive information.

“I appreciate your attention to this important issue,” concluded Rubio.