Bangladesh, Sept. 29 -- The United States is accelerating its preparations for a potential conflict with China by pressing major defense contractors to ramp up missile production on an unprecedented scale, according to recent reports from the Wall Street Journal. The effort, led directly by senior Pentagon officials, underscores growing concerns in Washington that Americas stockpiles of advanced munitions may be insufficient for a large-scale military confrontation in the Indo-Pacific.

For years, American defense planners have increasingly identified China as the countrys primary strategic competitor. Beijings rapid modernization of its armed forces, coupled with its assertive posture in the South China Sea and around Taiwan, has alarmed...