Adm. John C. Aquilino told the Senate Armed Services Committee on China’s expanding geopolitical objectives. The second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea has long been a subject of territorial dispute between China, the Philippines, and Taiwan. In written testimony, INDOPACOM warned that Beijing continues its “aggressive military buildup, modernization, and coercive gray-zone operations” Earlier this month, China announced a 7.2 percent increase in its defense budget to