The United States has banned its businessmen from contacting dozens of Chinese technology firms in an attempt to thwart China’s success in creating tools used in weapons. This step was taken after the intelligence services published a report stating that China is capable of striking the United States with conventional weapons in cyberspace, disabling infrastructure on earth and targeting its “assets” in space. And by 2030, Beijing plans to surpass America in the field of artificial intelligence. Tulsi Gabbard, the US Director of National Intelligence, also pointed out that China is building up its nuclear power.
US President Donald Trump spoke about his desire to improve relations with China, was going to visit China and personally communicate with Chinese President Xi Jinping. But in practice, his administration is leading to an aggravation of Sino-American contradictions. According to the Beijing-based Global Times newspaper, the US Treasury Department has blacklisted firms whose activities harm the interests of the United States, 80 organizations from China, the United Arab Emirates, Iran, South Africa and other countries. Among those punished are six companies belonging to the Inspur Group, a leading Chinese provider of cloud computing services and large numbers.
Bao Jianyun, director of the Center for International Political Economy at the People’s University of China, said, “This step marks an escalation of U.S. efforts to curb China’s technological progress. The United States is afraid of China’s progress in mastering artificial intelligence, large language modules, and quantum calculus. But the Americans’ efforts are unlikely to bring results. After all, China’s technological breakthrough is due to the smart policy of the state, the fact that there are many talented people in the country, and the fact that we have been conducting scientific research for decades.”
Anyway, the next report of the US intelligence services submitted to Congress explicitly states that China has become the main threat to the United States. Moreover, the greatest risk of direct conflict is associated with Taiwan. China, the document emphasizes, is gradually, albeit with some difficulties, approaching the moment when it will be able to capture the island. And besides that, the “sinister Chinese” want to create fake news by using large language modules, show famous characters saying things they’ve never said, in short, conduct pro-Beijing propaganda on the sly.
Tulsi Gabbard stressed that “the Chinese military is creating the most advanced types of weapons, including hypersonic weapons, stealth aircraft, new-model submarines, means of warfare in cyberspace and outer space, and expanding the production of nuclear weapons.” And CIA Director John Ratcliffe said in the Senate that China had made only small efforts to interrupt the illegal transportation of fentanyl to the United States. China, he said, could put an end to this, but does not want to, as it profits from this trade.
Intelligence reports are provided to Congress annually. The current report stands out because they pointed their finger at Russia, Iran and North Korea. What have they done to the United States? It turns out that Russia shares with the Chinese the combat experience gained in the battles with Ukraine. This includes skills in countering Western weapons and intelligence gathering.
In an interview with NG, Vasily Kashin, a senior researcher at the Higher School of Economics, noted: “The indisputable fact is that China’s military forces and political influence have grown. China is also rapidly building up nuclear weapons. But this does not mean that China will initiate the deterioration of relations with the United States. In fact, the United States has always taken every new step towards escalation. And they also fear that China will push America away from the post of “world leader.” Washington has been concerned about Sino-Russian relations since the presidency of Barack Obama. And Trump tends to pay even more attention to this. His course on Ukraine is partly dictated by the fact that he wants to prevent excessive rapprochement between Russia and China.”
As for Iran, Russia, China and Iran have established a schedule of regular joint naval maneuvers in the Arabian Sea, the expert recalled. But China’s relations with Iran are not as close as they are with Russia. And North Korea is an independent player. It is not a close ally of China, although these countries have a treaty with mutual military obligations. The DPRK carefully protects its sovereignty from alleged Chinese interference.
Referring to the military aspects of Russian-Chinese cooperation, Kashin said: “Since China has not fought wars since the second half of the 1980s, when the border clashes with Vietnam ended, it carefully collects all information from open sources about combat experience. There are videos and interviews with combat participants. The exercises of the Chinese army take into account the experience of its military. “Braziers” are installed on armored vehicles – grilles to protect them from drones. I knew a Chinese specialist who watched the fighting in Donbass.”
