A striking warning emerged during a Senate defense hearing after Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao acknowledged the 'growing gap' between American and Chinese maritime power. Cao told lawmakers that the United States currently has only 188 U.S.-flagged merchant ships and 105 Military Sealift Command vessels, while China operates more than 11,000 merchant ships. The remarks came during testimony on the Navy’s 2027 authorization request, as top U.S. military officials warned that strengthening America’s merchant marine and logistics network is now critical for national security and future military readiness.