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Updated March 9th, 2023 at 21:06 IST

China making efforts to be 'preeminent power' in East Asia; seeks to undercut America: US intel chiefs

China's ruling Communist Party will continue its efforts to achieve President Xi Jinping's vision of making the country the "preeminent power" in East Asia and emerge as a "major power" globally by undercutting US influence, according to the latest report by the US Intelligence Community.

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China's ruling Communist Party will continue its efforts to achieve President Xi Jinping's vision of making the country the "preeminent power" in East Asia and emerge as a "major power" globally by undercutting US influence, according to the latest report by the US Intelligence Community.

As Xi, 69, begins his unprecedented third term as China's top leader this week, the Communist Party of China (CPC) will work to press the self-ruled Taiwan island on unification, undercut US influence, drive wedges between Washington and its partners, and foster some norms that favour its authoritarian system, according to an annual intelligence threat assessment that was released here on Wednesday.

At the same time, China's leaders probably will seek opportunities to reduce tensions with the US when they believe it suits their interests, it said.

Avril D. Haines, the director of national intelligence who appeared before a Senate committee to present the threat assessment, also said that China believes it can achieve its goals of dominating its region and expanding its global reach "only at the expense of US power and influence." "The People's Republic of China, which is increasingly challenging the United States economically, technologically, politically and militarily around the world, remains our unparalleled priority," Haines was quoted as saying by The New York Times.

The threat report is a major yearly public release of the American intelligence agencies' assessment of a variety of national security challenges.

While some aspects of the report barely change year to year, the section on China expanded significantly, reflecting the intelligence agencies' greater focus on the nation during the Biden administration, the leading newspaper commented.

Reacting sharply to the US Intelligence Community's latest annual report, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Thursday that the American report is a clear misrepresentation of facts and full of slanders and smears against China.

Despite the global backlash over Russia's invasion of Ukraine, China will maintain its diplomatic, defence, economic, and technology cooperation with Russia to continue trying to challenge the United States, even as it will limit public support, the annual intelligence threat assessment says.

In 2023, Beijing will continue to apply pressure and possibly offer inducements for Taiwan to move toward unification and will react to what it views as increased US-Taiwan engagement, it said.

Beijing claims that the US is using Taiwan as a "pawn" to undermine China's rise, and will continue to take stronger measures to push back against perceived increases in support to Taiwan. Beijing may build on its actions from 2022, which could include more Taiwan Strait centerline crossings or missile overflights of Taiwan.

"Beijing’s control over Taiwan, if it succeeded in accomplishing its goal, probably would have wide-ranging effects, including disruption to global supply chains for semiconductor chips because Taiwan dominates production of cutting-edge chips," the report warned.

China will continue pursuing its goal of building a world-class military that will enable it to try to secure what it views as its sovereign territory, attempt to establish its preeminence in regional affairs, and project power globally while offsetting perceived US military superiority, it said.

Beijing is working to meet its goal of fielding a military by 2027 designed to deter US intervention in a future cross-Strait crisis. The PLA Navy and Air Force already are the largest in the region, the report said.

In the South China Sea, Beijing will continue to use growing numbers of air, naval, coast guard, and militia forces to intimidate rival claimants and to attempt to signal that China has effective control over contested areas. Similarly, China is pressuring Japan over contested areas in the East China Sea, the report points out.

Beijing claims almost all of the 1.3 million square miles of the South China Sea as its sovereign territory. China has been building military bases on artificial islands in the region also claimed by Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam.

The South China Sea is a region of tremendous economic and strategic importance. One-third of the world's maritime shipping passes through it, carrying over USD 3 trillion in trade annually.

The report also said that Beijing will try to expand its influence abroad and its efforts to be viewed as a champion of global development via several initiatives - including the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and Xi’s new flagship policies - the Global Development Initiative and the Global Security Initiative.

In Beijing, foreign ministry spokesperson Mao pointed out that the US persistently sees China as its "most consequential geopolitical challenge and most serious competitor" and seeks to "contain and suppress" China in all respects.

"This is the root cause of the tensions in China-US relations," she said in response to a question at a ministry briefing.

The US repeatedly hypes up the "China threat" narrative by releasing various reports to smear and attack China. Its sole purpose is seeking justification for its own military build-up so as to maintain its hegemony, she said.

"China pursues development in order to bring better lives to the people. We have no intention to challenge, threaten or undercut anyone," she said.

The US needs to stop seeking to contain and suppress China, work with China in the same direction to bring bilateral relations back to the track of sound and steady development. This serves the interests of both countries and the entire world, Mao added.

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Published March 9th, 2023 at 21:06 IST

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