China ‘existential threat' to US
China's economic might makes the Asian nation a unique challenge as the US competes with it for global influence, CIA Deputy Director Michael Ellis has said.
'China is the existential threat to American security in a way that we really have never confronted before,' Ellis said in an interview with Axios on Wednesday. Unlike with the Soviet Union, the current competition is primarily unfolding along economic lines, he explained.
Ellis said technological supremacy in fields such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, biotechnology, semiconductors, and advanced energy storage will ultimately determine the outcome of the geopolitical contest.
He outlined the CIA's evolving priorities in an era where traditional methods of human intelligence gathering face increasing limitations. There has to be an 'evolution in operational tradecraft,' Ellis stated. 'While some of the tools and techniques from the 1960s or 70s might still work today, a lot of them need to be updated and refreshed.'
To meet the challenge, Ellis said the agency is recruiting an 'elite workforce' with advanced scientific and engineering expertise, emphasizing a drive to build 'the ultimate meritocracy at the CIA.'
Beijing has repeatedly accused Washington of clinging to a 'Cold War mentality' and seeking global dominance instead of embracing a multipolar world based on cooperation and mutual benefit.
The US and China remain embroiled in a protracted trade dispute, which has escalated under the administration of President Donald Trump following the imposition of tariffs on imports of Chinese products. Beijing has responded with countermeasures.
Following the latest round of talks, both sides issued a joint statement pledging to resolve their disagreements through 'mutual opening, continued communication, cooperation, and mutual respect.'
This week, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reiterated the Trump administration's intention to shift its attention from European affairs to China.
'Every dollar we spend on this [Ukraine] conflict in Europe is distracting both our focus and our resources away from the potential for a much more serious, much more cataclysmic confrontation in the Indo-Pacific,' Rubio told lawmakers during a Senate hearing.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Russia Today
4 hours ago
- Russia Today
Trump promotes claim Biden was replaced by ‘robotic clone'
US President Donald Trump has shared on social media a claim that his predecessor, Joe Biden, was secretly executed and replaced by a 'robotic entity.'The original post, published by an anonymous user on Saturday afternoon, included a link to an article alleging that Biden's family feared they were 'running out of time to exploit' the former president following his cancer diagnosis.'There is no #JoeBiden – executed in 2020. #Biden clones doubles & robotic engineered soulless mindless entities are what you see. #Democrats don't know the difference,' the message read. Trump reposted it on his Truth Social platform hours later without comment. Biden, who has shown signs of cognitive decline for years, abruptly withdrew his candidacy from the 2024 presidential race after a disastrous debate performance that alarmed the Democratic Party. He named then-Vice President Kamala Harris as his replacement, who subsequently lost to have long accused Democratic leadership of covering up Biden's mental and health issues during his presidency and reelection campaign. Last month, Biden revealed he had been diagnosed with stage 4 prostate cancer that had spread to his their recently released book, Original Sin, journalists Jake Tapper of CNN and Alex Thompson of Axios detailed how Biden's staff worked to conceal his decline from the public. The authors claimed that a 'Politburo' of Biden's family members and close aides were the real decision-makers during his term in office.
Russia Today
4 hours ago
- Russia Today
US terms for nuclear deal ‘out of touch with reality' – Iranian source to RT
The US proposal for a new nuclear agreement with Iran is unacceptable, an Iranian source familiar with the matter told RT. Washington recently outlined its terms in a letter to Iran after five rounds of talks mediated by Oman. 'Iran views the US written elements as extremely far from what could possibly be regarded as a fair and realistic basis for a likely compromise,' the source said. 'Iranians were dismayed to see such a fanciful, one-sided text that is so out of touch with reality,' the source added. The White House said on Sunday that President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, sent 'a detailed and acceptable proposal' to Tehran. White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt reiterated Washington's position that 'Iran can never obtain a nuclear bomb.' Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the Islamic Republic would provide a response 'in line with the principles, national interests, and rights of the people of Iran.' Trump earlier insisted on a 'total dismantlement' of Iran's nuclear program, suggesting the country should not be allowed to enrich uranium even for civilian purposes. Araghchi rejected these terms, saying the US must lift all sanctions and 'uphold Iran's nuclear rights, including enrichment.' During his first term in office, Trump withdrew the US from the 2015 UN-backed nuclear deal, accusing Iran of secretly violating it. He then reimposed sanctions as part of his 'maximum pressure' campaign. Tehran denied breaching the 2015 deal at the time but has since increased uranium enrichment.
Russia Today
8 hours ago
- Russia Today
Man throws Molotov cocktails at pro-Israeli event (VIDEOS)
An unidentified man has been detained in Boulder, Colorado, after throwing Molotov cocktails at attendees of a demonstration held in support of Israeli hostages in Gaza. Videos from the scene show a shirtless man carrying what appear to be bottles of flammable liquid while shouting pro-Palestinian slogans. He is later seen lying on the ground as police move in to detain him. 'We are aware of and fully investigating a targeted terror attack in Boulder, Colorado. Our agents and local law enforcement are on the scene already, and we will share updates as more information becomes available,' FBI Director Kash Patel said on X. Boulder Police Chief Stephen Redfearn said officers responded to a report of a suspect 'setting people on fire.' He confirmed that several people had been hospitalized, with injuries ranging 'from very serious to more minor.' A pro-Hamas domestic terrorist threw molotov cocktails at some pro-Israel demonstrators in Boulder, the violence on campuses across the country, to violence on our streets, it's past time these thugs were labeled as domestic BREAKING: SUSPECT IDENTIFIED as Mohamad Soliman in the Boulder terror attack showsHe was shouting pro-Palestine propaganda with a thick IS WHY WE NEED MASS DEPORTATIONS. These people SHOULD NOT BE victims have been life-flighted from the area, and… DETAILS TO FOLLOW
