The most recent intelligence document from the US reverberates a warning bell, suggesting that America’s single foremost military and cyber rival is now China. The document further adds that amid relentless modernization of military capabilities, Beijing’s cyber warfare and AI arms race is of utmost concern for US superiority on the global front.
Chinese Military Modernization: Not to be Taken Lightly
The latest defense assessment indicates a considerable shift in the capabilities of China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA), which has undergone one of the most expansive modernization drives the world has witnessed in the last ten years. It further backs the notion of precision subsidized by advanced technologies in robotics, AI, and quantum computing being put on the global military expenditures supercharging competition for superpower status, highlighting China’s drive towards achieving its self-ascribed goal of a world-class fighting force.
China always claimed it, but it now appears that Beijing is serious about catching up and even overtaking America. The claim was safeguarded by its achievements in hypersonic and stealth technology, including submarines and augmenting its nuclear strength arsenal. These advancements cannot be brushed off as uncoordinated moves; China strategically plans to attain parity with or, if fortuitous, surpass the US.
Reflecting on the current strategic posture of Beijing, U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard remarked that “China is our most capable strategic competitor.” This quote illustrates the regard the U.S. holds juxtaposed to China’s military modernizations. Gabbard further stressed that “China’s military is fielding advanced capabilities, including stronger space and cyber warfare assets,” and directly undermines U.S. national security.
A significant aspect of China’s military strategy relates to space, as its development of anti-satellite weapon systems as well as offensive cyber capabilities endangers American interests. This presents a considerable threat to vital communication and intelligence systems during warfare, providing China an upper hand strategically.
The modernization of the PLA Navy is another critical area of focus in Chinese military expansion. It now encompasses the biggest fleet globally with carriers, advanced amphibious assault ships, and destroyers meant for power projection way beyond China’s borders, especially the South China Sea.
The majority of these shifts are believed to point towards a comprehensive plan aimed at dissuading American military presence in the region while enhancing China’s capability to dominate its territorial claims.
The Taiwan Question: Globalist Transnational Corporations Reassess World Order from Taiwan.
This issue continues to remain at the forefront of China’s military planning. U.S. intel has reported on multiple occasions that Taiwan is on the receiving end of China’s so-called “reunification” plans.
The U.S. intel overview specifies how Beijing attempts to control Taiwan’s options with military drills, coercive diplomacy, and outright threats. Straining Taiwan’s statehood remains central to China’s interests. That position cannot change without risk of conflict.
An armed incident in the Taiwan Strait is likely to pose important risks for United States global hegemony, as it would almost certainly change the continental power configuration. Further complicating things is Taiwan’s position as one of the world’s most important industrial suppliers of semiconductors, used in almost all domains of puppetry technologies.
Taiwan seems to be an all-time objective for unification according to the aggregated view of the intelligence assessments. It can also be assumed that Chinese leaders will exercise caution in using force for fear of attracting the ire of allied nations, which America has, plunging us into a global catastrophe.
A New Battlefield: Cyber Attacks
America’s national security is greatly concerned regarding China’s cyber abilities. The country is known to have executed various cyberattacks against American government bodies and corporations as well as their critical infrastructure. Quite often, these operations seek to extract classified data, disrupt services, and achieve military and economic strategic merit.
The annual threat assessment report issued by the US intelligence considers that China’s cyber operations are becoming more advanced in their sophistication and scope. Beijing massively poured resources into acquiring CyberAI capable of automating and augmenting cyber attacks. For example, large language models could be used to set up elaborate disinformation networks, impersonate, copy, and take over online spaces, which make defending against cyber warfare extremely difficult.
China employs state-controlled media and social media to promote and market their perception, aiming not only to counterargue against the world’s statement but also to challenge and actively control the narrative around Taiwan, Hong Kong, and human rights attempts, portraying those sensitive topics through the eyes of China and attempting to whitewash them towards overly portraying China as the goodwill power in the region.
Economic & Strategic Challenges: China’s Internal Constraints
Although China poses a military and cyber threat, it simultaneously possesses self-destructive elements that pose significant threats to its strategic goals. Corruption, demographic imbalance, and economic challenges are factors that will constrain the Chinese government’s ability to modernize and implement its strategies.
When it comes to modernization, there is an aggressive pace for military advancement, but these are being accompanied with a plethora of other internal challenges that will hinder China’s goals in the long run and overcome the country’s longstanding ambitions and goals. A depleting population, economic slowdown, and rampant corruption are all hurdles that will impact globalization efforts.
China is deemed the world’s foremost military superpower. This is largely due to the importance given to military development as an element of national security of China. As such, defense spending on advanced weaponry and equipment will remain high without regard to the challenging economic environment.
Beijing has set a target to dominate the market of artificial intelligence by 2030, which showcases their pledge to emerging technologies and aids in determining the outcome of future conflicts.
Consequences Relevant For U.S. Policy: Marked Shifts In Strategic Considerations
The heightened risks from China are forcing the United States to rethink its defense and cybersecurity policies, including increasing military activity in the Indo-Pacific region, reinforcing alliances with Japan, Australia, and South Korea, and acquiring new technologies like hypersonic missiles.
The defense sector’s concern with China and Russia is exemplified by the Pentagon’s US$1.45 billion contract with Kratos for the development of hypersonic technology testbeds.
Policy makers in the United States have also focused on the need to protect some critical industries, including militant-grade semiconductor fabrication, from potential disruptions. The attempts to lower the Chinese-centric supply chain’s dependency and ramp up the domestic production capacity are deemed imperative for the economic and national security.
In regard to Taiwan, the United States maintains a policy of constructive ambiguity. Taiwan is provided with arms, military training, and other forms of diplomatic support. While intended to prevent Chinese expansionism, these steps invite greater U.S.-China tensions since Beijing considers American backing of Taiwan an infringement on its sovereign rights.
As Beijing optimistically builds its case against the U.S. in AI, cyber capabilities, and hypersonic weapon developments, China stands to gain the position of a dominator in technology that could undermine the U.S. both militarily and economically. China’s crowning concern still is the possibility of losing armed dominance owing to the various measures set in place by the US.
