According to a report released by US intelligence agencies, China remains the United States’ top military and cyber threat. The report, published on Tuesday, highlights China’s growing military capabilities, including hypersonic weapons, stealth aircraft, and advanced cyber warfare tools. It also warns that China is making steady progress on strategies that could enable it to capture Taiwan and displace the US as the leading power in artificial intelligence by 2030.
The report explains that China can now target the US with conventional weapons and cyberattacks. It also has the ability to compromise US infrastructure and space assets. The intelligence community warned that China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is developing advanced military technologies that could challenge US dominance in multiple fields, including AI and space warfare.
Furthermore, the report highlights the tense US-China relationship, especially regarding the fentanyl crisis. The CIA director noted that China had made only limited efforts to stop the flow of chemicals fueling the crisis in the US. Despite this, China has continued to deny its role in the fentanyl trade. The US has responded by increasing tariffs on Chinese imports to pressure China to address the issue.
The intelligence report also acknowledges that China faces significant domestic challenges, such as corruption and economic slowdowns. These problems could weaken the Communist Party’s control and impact China’s long-term stability. Still, the report stressed that China’s military and economic coercion toward Taiwan is likely to intensify in the coming years.