China’s effort to expand its growing influence is one of the biggest threats to the United States, according to an important annual intelligence report released on Tuesday, which also warns that Beijing is capable of cyber-attacks that are critical infrastructure in the United States. United States may temporarily disrupt.
The report places China’s insistence on ‘global power’ first on the list of threats, followed by Russia, Iran and North Korea. There are usually few broad disclosures in the annual reports, which are a collection of downgraded assessments, although the intelligence agencies’ ranking of threats and how they change over time is a telling way.
“Beijing, Moscow, Tehran and Pyongyang have shown the ability and intention to advance their interests at the expense of the United States and its allies, despite the pandemic,” the report said. “China is increasingly a competitive group challenging the United States in a number of areas – particularly economically, militarily and technologically – and urging it to change global standards.”
The Iran division could influence the United States renegotiating the nuclear deal. It is important that the intelligence agencies assess that Iran “is not currently undertaking the main activities for the development of nuclear weapons” needed to build a nuclear device. But Iranian leaders are likely to remain reluctant to enter into talks with the United States without sanctions, according to the report.
The intelligence assessment also offers a cruel assessment of Afghanistan, a few days before President Biden announces when he will withdraw the last troops from the country. Intelligence agencies believe that the prospect of a peace deal remains low and that the Taliban are likely to achieve battlefield gains, the report said. In recent weeks, officials have said U.S. troops should stay longer, using the assessment to bolster their arguments.
According to the report, China’s strategy is to drive wedges between the United States and its allies. Beijing also used its success in combating the Covid-19 pandemic to promote the ‘superiority of its system’.
The report predicts that China will press the Taiwanese government to proceed with unification, and criticize the United States’ efforts to intensify its involvement in Taipei. But the report stopped predicting any kind of direct military conflict.
China uses its electronic surveillance and burglary functions to not only suppress divisions in its country, but also to make intrusions that affect people outside its borders, the report said. China, too, represents an increasing threat of cyberattacks against the United States, and intelligence agencies believe Beijing could minimize ‘localized, temporary disruption of critical infrastructure in the United States’. ‘
There are few surprises in Russia’s intelligence assessment. This is clear despite the fact that many see Moscow as a declining force, US spy agencies still consider it an excellent threat, and note how a Russian supply chain hacking operation was created in about 18,000 computer networks worldwide. According to the assessment, Russia will avoid direct conflict with America, but it will use influence campaigns, mercenary operations and military exercises to advance its interests and undermine those of the United States.
The report highlights the traditional threats to national security facing the country, but it hints at the challenges of climate change and global pandemics, which, according to the Biden government, said intelligence agencies would study closely. The threat is mostly long-term, but can also have short-term consequences, the report said.
“The American people need to know as much as possible about the threats facing our country and what their intelligence agencies are doing to protect them,” said Avril B. Haines, director of national intelligence, whose office reported the report. made.
The new report is followed by testimony from Congress by Ms. Haines; William J. Burns, the CIA director; and other top intelligence officials on Wednesday and Thursday.